Little Sips

Holiday Hours

2009-12-23T18:35:00.001-06:00

Thursday Dec 24 Christmas Eve 7am-4pm
Friday Dec. 25 Christmas CLOSED

Next week:

Wednesday Dec. 30 CLOSED
Thursday Dec. 31 CLOSED
Friday Jan. 1 CLOSED

12 days of deals!

2009-12-16T10:34:00.003-06:00

Every day until Dec. 23rd is a different deal.

Today the deal at Wildfire Coffee is 25% off all Holiday drinks!

See you soon.

Knock Knock. Who's there? The HEALTH inspector!

2009-08-18T09:47:00.002-05:00

EEK!

He pulled up in a not so inconspicuous vehicle splashed with the City of San Antonio seal "Dept. of Health." Rey spotted him first and we were like "oh crap!" But in reality we have nothing to worry about. We have habits most restaurant owners would kill to have from their own employees. The health inspection is really not at all stressful. They swoop in and do their thing in less than 30 minutes. I sign the form. And it's over. Until next year!

He walked around and checked everything on his notepad. Soap. Check. Paper towels. Check. Fridges cooling at the proper temps. Check. Snoop around the ice machine. It was spotless- I just drained it and sanitized less than 2 weeks ago. He looked under the sink. Nothing. Done and done. He asked me a couple of questions about how we handle certain foods. "With tongs!" Got me a wink and smile from this inspector. Whew.

100%. No demerits. A perfect score!!!

Yay. We couldn't have done it without our motley crew of characters we have working for us.

The Great Mug Giveaway!

2009-08-07T08:47:00.003-05:00

Happy Anniversary to us.

We turned 4 on Wednesday, and all week we have $4 specials to celebrate.

In addition, we're giving away our annual anniversary mug. The previous years were ceramic. But not this one. This one's a thermal mug. Perfect for the office. The home. And maybe they'll even fit in some drink holders. It's a gamble. But it's free! Well kind of. Come by on Saturday and get one free with the purchase of a drink.

Check them out.

One per person per order. While supplies last. After Saturday we'll be selling them for $5 each. So don't come crying to us if you didn't get a free one.

See you then!

New Hours!

2009-07-09T13:50:00.001-05:00

Starting Friday July 10th our hours will be:

M-Sat: 7am-6pm
Sun: 9am-2pm

Got something to say?

2009-07-09T11:47:00.004-05:00

Meet the Congressman.

U.S. Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez will be at Wildfire Coffee this Saturday for a one-on-one meeting with his constituents. Come by, sip on a latte, and talk to your congressman of the 23rd District or Texas.

It's happening this Saturday, July 11th, from 1p-2p.

If you need more information, call Stephanie Romero 210.561.9421 or email her at Stephanie.Romero@mail.house.gov

Grillin'

2009-07-06T12:23:00.009-05:00

Here's the thing.

Ever since we opened the shop, we've talked about barbecuing out in the parking lot for the Fourth of July. But as always, we were never organized enough to make it happen.

This year would be different.
This July 4th we decided to make it customer appreciation day, so we dragged out the grill and fired it up right in the parking lot. We cooked up hot dogs for everyone and thus temporarily lifted our ban on "outside foods." It was the least we could do.

We served up delicious all-beef hot dogs with all the fixin's

Then we cracked open a watermelon and stuffed our faces.

Everyone had a blast!

If you want to see more pictures go here.

A quiet moonscape

2009-06-16T16:37:00.005-05:00

Rebecca hangs her art

A lonely cow. A raggedy pair of forgotten shoes. Images of West Texas- on display at Wildfire Coffee Roasters.

Join us Saturday Evening June 20th for an opening reception for Rebecca Chapa’s West Texas Photo Series.

Ms. Chapa will be on hand to discuss her work and answer any questions you might have about purchasing a framed, signed print. Complimentary light snacks will be served.

Festivities will begin promptly at 6-ish.

Shara can pour

2009-06-03T16:45:00.002-05:00

She is rocking the latte art!

Nice.

family portrait

2009-05-30T14:25:00.002-05:00

Rey, Sami, and Shara

Check out our Stash

2009-05-28T13:25:00.002-05:00

New Tea!
It's called "Stash" and it's out of Oregon. So far we have heard lots of rave reviews since we made the big switch from Numi. So try some and see what all the fuss is about.

Flavors available:

Wild Raspberry Herbal. Caffeine free. This herbal tea has a fragrant and fruity zip that tastes great iced.
Lemon Ginger. Caffeine free. An citrusy herbal tea with a lively bite of ginger.
Chai Spice. Travel to India with this soothing black tea. Pungent spices give this a nice dairy-free alternative to the chai latte.
Green Tea. Premium green tea with a slight hint of sweetness.
Jasmine Blossom Green tea. Green tea combines with jasmine blossoms to create a delicate flowery taste.
Earl Grey. Italian Oil of Bergamot gives a spark of intensity perfect for busy mornings.

Tart. Sweet. Cold.

2009-05-23T15:15:00.004-05:00

New at Wildfire: Freshly squeezed Honey Limeade!

It all started with an impulse purchase.

Mark went to buy supplies at Restaurant Depot, when he saw a big box of limes at a price he couldn't pass up. What could we possibly do with 40 pounds of limes? Apparently that didn't matter, so he bought it anyway.

We started making limeades for ourselves. And we liked them. A lot. So much, we put it on the summer menu.

Shara uses her muscle power to hand squeeze the lime juice into a glass of honey and sugar.

A limeade waiting to be sipped in the hot summer sun.

So come on over, pull up a chair and quench your thirst with a nice tall glass of honey limeade.

Taste of the Northside 2009

2009-05-21T15:20:00.004-05:00

Okay, I know this happened last month, but this event was so much fun!

Shara, Rey and Sami ready for the crowds!

Wildfire Coffee has been a part of the Taste of the Northside since 2007. Local restaurants set up booths and sample their best eats. We served up Iced Lattes and Americanos. Lots of food. Lots of wine and beer. And it's all for a good cause, The Brighton School.

Time to eat!

Make plans to start a new Fiesta tradition and come out next year. It's tamer than most Fiesta events, so it's a perfect mid-week party!

See you next year.

Fiesta Forever!

2009-04-18T12:15:00.004-05:00

Frozen Cascaron

Happy Fiesta!

To celebrate the occasion we've put together a delicious mix of fiesta-themed drinks to get you in the party mood.

Dulce de leche Latte. Made with REAL dulce de leche. (it's sweetened condensed milk that's been cooked to a creamy caramel.) Add whip to make it a Tres Leches latte.

Frozen Cascaron. A frozen Cream shake with sprinkles. No Coffee.

Carol and Judy's FIrESTAr. The firestar is a hot and spicy mocha made with cinnamon oil. It sizzles! This is Carol and Judy's, who came in a close second in our "favorite customer" contest.

Mango Loco. A mango smoothie with chili sprinkles. Yes chili. The same type of lip smackin' chili powder sprinkled on fruit cups you can only get on the south side. But we have it right here. OH YEAH!!

Come on in! Just be warned.. we have lots and lots of cascarones and aren't afraid to use them.

-tricia

Favorite Customer!

2009-04-02T17:35:00.003-05:00

Okay, so we were on vacation for the last week and a half. Honestly, I still feel like I'm on vacation.

So before we left, we announce our favorite customer contest winner.

Emily Mitchan!

Yes. We know she's won before. But that didn't matter. We did not make a rule that a person could not win again.

We got quite a few awesome entries: A quilt section with our logo. A powerpoint presentation. A crayon picture book. A painting.

But Emily's entry. Well.. we just couldn't deny her a win for what she did. She not only wrote a really nice poem. She got a freakin tattoo of our logo on her leg.

A Tattoo!

See the fantastic photos and read more about her drink "Emily's Daytripper" here.

But we couldn't not mention our close second place winners. Judy and Carol, who stitched us a gorgeous quilt section made of stunning fabrics. A lot of time and love went into the piece and for that we awarded them second place, with the honor of a drink named after them on our FIESTA menu coming later in April! We'll be working with them to come up with a festive drink in their honor.

Thanks to everyone who entered. We have plans to hang up the art on various walls at the coffee shop!

The end is near

2009-03-18T18:59:00.002-05:00

Dr. John Brownlee furiously paints his entry into the Wildfire Coffee Favorite customer contest.

Favorite Customer contest!

2009-03-14T17:36:00.003-05:00

The deadline is fast approaching for you to enter the Wildfire Coffee Favorite Customer Contest!

WCFCC for short.

This year we've put a little twist on the contest, making it an ART contest! That's right. We want to see any art that shows your love for Wildfire. It could be photography. Ceramics. Oils. Pencils. Haiku. Writing. Video. Performance art. If you can create it, its eligible. The only stipulation is that it's original new work made specifically for the contest.

Show the love! Show the devotion!

But hurry, the deadline is March 19.

We'll be quick in making the decision, because Mark and I will be on vacation shortly thereafter.

By the way, at this point you're probably wondering WIFM? Well, with your help, we'll create a drink named after you to put on our Spring Menu! You will also have the opportunity to have your face immortalized on our cup stickers for at least one run.

So what are you waiting for!??!!!

-tricia

Be my Valentine

2009-01-28T15:13:00.008-06:00

Our Valentine's Menu is up!

The Red Hot mocha is made with cinnamon candies to give your drink an extra spark.

Caramel Sutra Mocha is made with creamy Caramel and sinful Cinnamon syrups. Real dark chocolate melted into the velvety milk adds just enough richness that makes this mocha a delectable delight.

Rose steamer. Think you can handle this? It's a steamer with a Middle Eastern twist. Imported Rose syrup steamed with milk turns into a thick sweet floral drink. No caffeine. Lots of calcium.

Chocolate covered strawberry smoothie. Take a 100% crushed fruit smoothie. Add chunks of dark chocolate. Blend. Chocolate. Strawberries. It's the best of Valentine's day in one 16oz cup.

Raspberry Mocha. Go traditional. It's a drink reminiscent of those raspberry-filled chocolates that come in the sampler box you give to your honey. Sweet. Fruity. Very Berry-y.

Rose Steamer with Rey's art.

Bring your sweetheart into Wildfire Coffee Roasters for a sweet treat.

-Tricia

Did you hear?

2009-01-21T17:09:00.006-06:00

We have a new President now.

President Barack Obama's inauguration happened during business hours and since we do not have a tv here, we did the next best thing.

We set up a Mac and streamed it live!

A crowd gathered for the momentous occasion.

Our regulars know Wildfire Coffee Roasters is usually a politics-free zone to avoid the inevitable sniping that comes with this volatile topic. We want everyone to get along.

But no matter what your political leanings, I think everyone can at least agree that this was one historical inauguration that shouldn't be missed. So we made sure everyone could watch the oath and his inaugural address to the country.

Good luck to President Obama.. he has a tough job ahead!

The Fix is in

2009-01-08T14:15:00.006-06:00

Tell me this hasn't happened to you.

You're casually sipping on a silky English Toffee Latte after a relaxing lunch away from the office. Suddenly you remember you have a 1:30 meeting with a client! Yikes. You gulp down the drink in no time. But now you have to worry about stinky-sugary-coffee-lunch breath. Tasty.

Good thing you grabbed a box of Oral Fixation Mints while ordering your coffee at Wildfire Coffee Roasters.

Now available for your EnjoyMint:

7 Deadly Cinnamon
Fabulous Fruit
Classical Peppermint

The nifty mints are nicely packaged in a swanky reusable tin. So grab a box and save your clients from catching a whiff of your foul mouth.

Flavors subject to change based on our whim.

-Tricia

Hot Chocolate buzz

2009-01-05T14:38:00.006-06:00

We got an elusive mention in the San Antonio Express-News!!

They listed Wildfire Coffee Roasters as one of THE places to go for the best Hot Chocolate in the city.

We chop up blocks of dark chocolate and melt it with the milk to create the most stunningly rich velvety hot chocolate you have ever tasted.

Rey pours a decadent cup of hot chocolate.

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes..

2009-01-03T12:19:00.005-06:00

We've made some changes!

As you know, we closed up shop for a few days of rest, relaxation, and remodeling. We moved a few things around and added some new stuff.

We like how everything turned out.

Out went the old loud drink cooler. And in moved a nice solo seating area perfect for people-watching.
Don't worry - we still have cold bottled drinks in the back fridge!

Gone are the tile tables and in comes the new condiment station!
We got lucky, a scrap piece of counter top fit perfectly!

We've moved the comfy leopard print chairs back up to the front.
People walking by will instantly want to come in and to sink into them while sipping on a raspberry mocha.

Come by and check out the changes!

Tricia

Yes we're still here!

2009-01-03T11:35:00.006-06:00

We took a few days off for the New Year.

Yet, I'm a bit miffed.

We had a sign up for two weeks that stated our holiday hours. It was up for TWO WEEKS: a calendar showing which days we would be closed for the New Year.

Even after all that.. during our time off, people went next door asking what happened to us, saying things like "Did they close? They had such great coffee. What a shame. What happened? What's the story?", without even bothering to read our sign.

To be honest it hurt.

It hurt to think that people would be so quick to make the assumption that we'd closed down for good, and even wanted to know the juicy details right away.

Instead of stewing, I'll just take that as another reason for me to slow down and pay more attention to the world around me. I wonder what signs have I've missed lately?

Tricia

See you next year!

2008-12-27T12:45:00.003-06:00

We are taking a few days off!

Please note the following changes:

Monday, Dec 29th CLOSED
Tuesday, Dec. 30th CLOSED
Wednesday, Dec. 31st CLOSED
Thursday, January 1st CLOSED
Friday, January 2nd 7am-8pm

Happy New Year!

Christmas Hours

2008-12-23T20:07:00.002-06:00

Wednesday Dec 24th Christmas Eve: 7am-4pm
Thursday Dec 25th Christmas Day: CLOSED
The day after Christmas Friday Dec 26th: 8am-8pm

Scenes from the parking lot

2008-12-16T14:16:00.007-06:00

The license plates have been altered to protect the not-so-innocent.

I don't even know what to make of this.

Three parking spaces. One car. Why?

What can I say? I'm in a weird mood today.

Peace. Tricia

Make yourself at home

2008-12-12T18:10:00.007-06:00

So I've always said that we think of our little coffee shop as an extension of our living room. A place to kick up your feet and forget about anything that might be troubling you.

We want everyone to make themselves comfortable. So comfortable, in fact.. that maybe you'll might sneak in a nap. Like our friend David.

This is David and Debbie.

They're a delightful couple who frequently hangs out at Wildfire Coffee to read thick books and sip on mochas. Usually it's Debbie who actually gets a lot of reading done here. David starts in on a book, then gets about 3/4 done with his mocha before the little sheep in his head start to jump the fence and.. He. Is. OUT. No doubt dreaming of real chocolate mochas, mocha java shakes, and spicy cinnamon.

ahhhhh! Don't you want to come pull up a comfy chair and make yourself at home, too?

David and Debbie will soon move to North Texas. Hopefully they'll find a nice cozy neighborhood coffee shop comfy enough to have a nap. We'll miss you!

Tricia

Winter Blend

2008-12-07T11:58:00.002-06:00

Baby it's cold outside!

Okay maybe it's not so chilly today. What are you doing sitting at your computer? Get your keister outside and enjoy the gorgeous weather!

Then stop in at Wildfire Coffee Roasters and pick up a pound of Winter Blend coffee beans. mmmm. Can't you just smell the aroma? Sitting by the fireplace enjoying a nice hot cup of Winterness.

Our Winter Blend is a festive mix of Central and South American beans, roasted to their peak of flavor.

It'll be available through January.

New Tea Sets

2008-12-05T14:24:00.007-06:00

This just in. New gift Sets!

Put these on your wish list:

Organic Single Origins loose leaf tea set

A set of two exquisite ceramic tea cups, a gorgeous teapot, and four delicious loose-leaf organic teas to brew and sip. 36.50.

Blooming Tea Set

A sleek glass teapot and a box of flowering teas. It's all packed in a reusable and unique bamboo box. Perfect for giving or receiving! 40.

Bamboo Treasure Chest of teas

A bamboo chest stuffed with an assortment of tea bags. Green, Black, White, Herbal. A variety of choices to keep you warm throughout the winter. 14.50.

Quantities are limited, so hurry in.

Tricia

Dealcember

2008-12-05T14:13:00.002-06:00

Come to Wildfire Coffee Roasters anytime from Dec. 6-24th and cash in on some fun deals just in time for the holidays.

We'll be featuring a different deal every day from drinks to merchandise. But don't ask us what the deal is for the next day, Mark and I are last-minute kind of people and will come up with it on the fly that morning depending on our mood.

So come on in.

Who knows, your Iced Peppermint Mocha may even be on special!

It's raining gum. Hallelujah!

2008-12-03T15:18:00.006-06:00

It's raining gum.

Have you noticed all the employees chewing gum lately? Rather than looking at us with contempt, join in whydoncha?

A while back a marketing company called and asked me if we'd like some gum samples. Since I am so honest and suspicious, I let them know that we don't sell gum, and the samples would work better somewhere else. "No problem!" The voice on the other end replied, "we just want to get these things out there."

hmm.. I was thinking there might be a catch so I asked if there was any obligation for us to purchase gum in the future.

He said, "no maam!"

"Then send the over!" I squealed. Okay, I didn't really squeal. I just wanted to use that adjective. And can you believe he called me ma'am!??

So I forgot about that phone call, until we got a curious delivery. What is it? Our logo merchandise? Tea? Mark and I looked at each other, thinking the other had ordered something and had forgotten about it, which believe it or not, is a common occurrence.

Then we opened the box.

In that box?

Four big boxes. Of gum.
4000 packets of sugarless gum.

So swing on by, it may be the only time all of us have really fresh breath all at the same time!

Grab a few packets to take the edge off after you partake in a deliciously decadent Eggnog Latte.

By the way, my teeth hurt.

-Tricia

Black Friday Deal!

2008-11-26T17:09:00.007-06:00

Need a gift for someone at the office you know is a coffee addict? Get them off bad coffee for good. Buy them a Wildfire Coffee Roasters gift card! And get this.. buy it on Friday and save some money.

FRIDAY ONLY!

Buy 2 $20 gift cards for only $30.

That's a $10 savings!

FRIDAY ONLY!

Buy one for them. One for you.

Or buy two for yourself!

Here's the best part. You won't have to stand in line for hours to get this deal. It's all day. Don't forget.. we're open 9am-5pm.

So come on by!

-Tricia

Thanksgiving Hours

2008-11-21T17:16:00.002-06:00

Just a reminder of our Holiday Hours next week..

Wednesday Nov. 26th: 7a-6p
Thursday Nov. 27th: CLOSED
Friday Nov. 28th: 9a-5p

Thanksgiving Blend!

2008-11-18T17:53:00.003-06:00

Hey everybody!

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Nope. Don't say you are unless you already have a pound of Wildfire Coffee Roasters Thanksgiving Blend.

It's smooth. It's rich. It's flavorful.

It's the perfect ending to the stuff-your-face endless eating fest that is the all American pastime we call Thanksgiving.

I won't guarantee it'll prevent the turkey stupor that sets in at around 3pm, but it'll definitely help get through it! Especially when Uncle George pulls out his laptop to show his and Aunt Betty's latest European escapades paid for with your inheritance.

Thanksgiving Blend: A rich smooth coffee perfect with Pumpkin Pie.

Get it before it's gone!

-Tricia

Swanky New Coffees

2008-10-20T17:53:00.005-05:00

First up is Congo.

That's in Africa, for those of you not up on your geography. This coffee is roasted medium to dark, and has a heavy syrupy body. It kind of reminds me of Sumatra, except with a bigger bite. Some other flavor notes: sweet, spice, winey, oak.

Some Congo facts:

It sits smack in the middle of Africa, and was founded as a Belgian colony in 1908. They called it The Republic of Congo. It gained its independence in 1960. However, a colonel, who led a coup in 1965 and declared himself the president, changed the country's name to Zaire. (by the way, when I was in fifth grade, I wrote a research paper about Zaire.) In 1997 the regime was toppled, and the name changed back to the original Republic of Congo.

Our other new coffee is Ethiopia Natural Sidamo.

This coffee is delightful. It's organically-grown by 300 smallholder farmers. It's processed naturally using a sundried process. Some of the tasting notes: lemon/lime skittles, blueberry, sparkling acidity, sweet.

Join our fan page

2008-10-18T13:02:00.003-05:00

Have you noticed?

Within the last year or so, facebook opened up its network to include those of us who WEREN'T born in the 80's or 90's. Now it's filled with 30-somethings trying not to feel old.

So, of course.. Mark and I quickly hopped on the bandwagon once all our friends had joined. If you too are among the newest crop of facebook users like me and Mark are, then why not join our fan page? Heck even if you've been on since its inception, we'll let you join too.

Everyone's invited!

Fans of Wildfire Coffee Roasters!

A little bit of Internet buzz

2008-10-18T12:51:00.004-05:00

So recently we began designing our own stickers and getting them printed at Sticker Giant. They are fast, and the friendly folks who work there will CALL you if there is any possibility of a problem.

For example, the font we chose for our coffee bag stickers was really hard to read when printed at the size we wanted. They called and suggested we tighten up the copy and make it bigger or choose a new font.

What other place would do that? I know of some places that will just print what you send without regard to how the finished product will look!

Sticker Giant ended up making a video to showcase some recent clients' work they've printed and included a tidbit about little ole' us.

Take a look here!

Making News

2008-10-17T22:20:00.003-05:00

Wildfire Coffee.. getting the thumbs up from The Paisano, the student newspaper at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

They said we were fun and funky!

Read the entire story here.

Don't ask me why the picture of Rey's awesome latte art on their webpage is sideways.

It'll PUMP youuuu up!

2008-10-13T15:39:00.003-05:00

PUMPKIN is back!!!

Pumpkin Spice will get you in the Autumn mood. Add it to a mocha for a seasonal twist on an old favorite. Or sip on a Wildfire original: Pumpkin pie a la mode latte topped with homemade whipped cream.

Lane Pain

2008-09-18T13:30:00.005-05:00

If you aren't in the Wildfire Bowling League, you're missing out.

We've been having such a great time hanging out at Country Lanes on 281.

This past Sunday, though, we had some lane problems. The bar kept getting stuck so we got moved to the next lane over. Then THAT lane had problems! It had a hard time reracking the pins.

Between that and the iridescent nacho cheese:

Don't you wish you were a part of our league?

Tricia

New Photography at Wildfire

2008-09-17T16:12:00.005-05:00

The laser stud finder/leveler is out and on. That can only mean one thing. ART!!!!

If you've been in recently, then perhaps you've seen the incredible photos hanging on our walls. It's the photography from a very talented friend of ours, Alicia Wagner Calzada.

She and her husband, Billy (a photojournalist as well) installed the show last week.

Billy and Alicia ensure the photos hang even and level

Alicia's photos ready for action

The work is a series of photos from Alicia's recent travels around the world. Come by and check them out!

If you like her work, you can always hire her to shoot your wedding, portrait, or other classy function you may have coming up. She even has a website.

Tricia

Autumn Sips

2008-09-10T14:38:00.003-05:00

I know it's technically still summer, but school's in session, the weather's getting slightly less hot.. so that means AUTUMN MENU!!

We're calling it Autumn Sips because we're tired of the uninspired "menu" that usually accompanies our seasonal menu boards.

Here are some of your choices:

Cinnamon Roll Latte- this is a warm latte with the all the yumminess of a cinnamon roll without as much of the fat and calories! It's made with light brown cane sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Honey Vanilla Latte- Take a vanilla latte and add a nice big squirt of honey. Sweet and smooth.

Orange Spice mocha- Orange and cinnamon syrups are added to our real chocolate mocha to make a citrusy spark of a drink.

Caramel Apple Italian Cream Soda- Caramel syrup. Apple syrup. Sparkling water. Cream.

Tricia

Roaster Rant

2008-09-04T15:22:00.009-05:00

Funny story.

Not really, but I must try to find humor in this story somewhere. Let's start from the beginning.

Every 6 months Mark takes apart the venting system to the coffee roaster and cleans it out. It accumulates lots of potentially fire-causing "stuff" that needs to be scraped out and washed off.

So he took the pieces to the car wash and afterwards, put them on top of his car. You'd think the story ends there.. but it doesn't.

You see, We've been married for 11 years. Mark and I have this running source of bickering. It's something that ALWAYS causes a little tiff between us. We don't flat out fight or yell.. it's just.. bickering.

Picture the scene.

Mark wants to put stuff on the car roof to get it from point a to point b. I say no.. "it'll fall!" He says "No it won't! It's physics.. nothing will happen to it." Then I get upset because I'm worried the stuff will fall off. We've had this argument plenty of times. He sometimes gets his way, because I think it's a ridiculous thing to argue about, and then he proves me wrong as the stuff usually stays put. (blankets, suitcase, 2X4's, chairs)

Until now.

Let me repeat: he took the pieces to the car wash and afterwards, put them on top of his car.

At the intersection of 410 and Blanco he heard the thud. He thought "oh, no.. that can't be good." He looked back and saw the piece on the ground. No problem. He turns around, and before he could even pull over. The only other car on the road at that dark hour RUNS OVER THE THING!

flat duct

OMG. Not good.

These ducts aren't the typical duct you can buy at home depot. These are special ducts that need to be installed by "Professional Duct People." So while we wait for the pros to find the parts, we're running out of coffee. People are coming in wanting beans. And we only have a few pounds left!

Sami to the rescue! Our friends at San Antonio Coffee Roasters near the airport sympathized with our plight and is roasting our coffee for us until we get the roaster up and running, which will hopefully be Friday afternoon.

Until then.. NOTHING is going up on the roof of our car ever again.

Tricia

Closed for Labor Day

2008-08-30T23:47:00.000-05:00

Please note:

Wildfire Coffee will be closed for the Labor Day Holiday, Monday Sept 1.

We'll see you on Tuesday morning at 7am!

Diorama Drama

2008-08-29T09:00:00.010-05:00

Girls vs. Boys.

Here at Wildfire we have a camaraderie you won't find at the corporate coffee places. Those places put an end to the fun before it even begins. Not here. We embrace the fun. We're loud. We make signs. We draw things. We tease each other. We play practical jokes on each other. So it's no surprise that THIS transpired over the course of about 4 days.

What the heck is it, you ask? Well, allow me explain.

It started out innocently enough. I had gotten a box of free paper from the office supply store. Once Lucas got his little hands on all this paper, he cooked up a plan to make a boat. Well, first it was an airplane but that lasted all of 2 minutes. Boys!

So anyway back to the boat. It looked like a hat to me, but whatever.

He left it out on the counter for all of us to marvel at his folding skills. This led to Natalie girlifying it with pink paper and a taunt.

Which led to Lucas making another boat. A pirate boat. That he positioned to attack the girl boat. Mark added homies. Those are so 1999, btw.
He added a paper airplane complete with the little "pewpewpew" dots to shoot the girl boat!
At this point- It. Was. On! What can destroy a ship and a plane? A flying saucer!

Natalie and I conspired to make the flying saucer out of chipped plates. It even had frikkin laser beams to shoot the boat and the plane!

Until Lucas made a Star Wars Satellite that would launch a "nucular" weapon at us! The nerve!

Shara came up with the topper to top everyone. A sea creature made out of a plant. It's a thing of beauty.
Poor homie.

Girls rule.
Boys drool.

That's what we do at Wildfire when no one's looking.

The end.

Tricia

The live shot that wasn't

2008-08-28T15:38:00.005-05:00

So, Wildfire was supposed to be on TV this week. We got a pleasant phone call from the friendly producer of San Antonio Living, the morning lifestyle show that airs on WOAI (Channel 4.)

Sweet!

They wanted to use the coffee shop as a backdrop for a story about moms taking their kids back to school and stopping in for a much-needed coffee fix. We are less than a block away from Huebner Elementary, after all. Wow. They didn't call a chain. They didn't call the corporate giant. They called little mom-n-pop Wildfire Coffee.

Cool!

They showed up on time, got everything set up. Ready to go. Drinks in hand. Makeup retouched. Only. They couldn't get the live truck to work.

DOH!

Sadly, we never made it on air.

But we did get a picture of what you would have seen if you had tuned in and if the production guys HAD gotten the live shot up.

I hope no one got fired.

Tricia

If there's something strange.. in your neighborhood..

2008-08-28T15:23:00.003-05:00

Who ya gonna call!?

GHOSTBUSTERS!

Our resident latte artist, Rey, made this cute little ghost. Just in time for Halloween! Which is. um. 2 months away.

Doesn't that look tasty.

Come in and get one. Maybe we'll draw something fun in it!

Tricia

Here comes the rain again

2008-08-28T15:17:00.006-05:00

It's raining.

Well not today, but a lot over the past week or so.

We decided to have a little fun with our leftover luau drink umbrellas.

Mark

Lucas

Meredith

Silly kids! Those won't protect you from the rain like a nice rich real chocolate Wildfire mocha will!

Tricia

Order Wildfire Coffee online!

2008-08-16T15:47:00.002-05:00

Big news.

Wildfire Coffee's online store is open for business. There are still a few little kinks to work out, but all in all, it's doing what it's supposed to do.

Orders will typically go out on Mondays via priority mail.

So check it out!

order online

Luau weekend

2008-08-11T15:30:00.005-05:00

What a weekend!

Wildfire Coffee celebrated its 3rd anniversary with music, flowers, grass skirts, and limbo.

Rey outdoes himself again with his latte art. This time with a gorgeous beach scene complete with a sunset and 2 palm trees.

Nigel on vocals and Devin on guitar shared their original music with the folks at Wildfire. Hopefully we'll have them back again in the coming months.

Frankie shows off his temporary tattoo.

Let's Bowl! Let's Bowl! Let's.. Rock n Roll!

2008-08-06T17:26:00.006-05:00

Time to bowl!

Last year we had so much fun bowling we're doing it again this year. The Wildfire Coffee Fall Bowling league starts up September 7th, 2008. Teams consist of three people and all ages are welcome.

Games will be Sunday evenings at Country Lanes (281 near Bitters) starting at 6pm. Everybody bowls 3 games each and it costs only $10.35 a week to play, and it includes shoes!

The season runs 14 weeks.

So get your team together and sign up today.

Third Anniversary

2008-08-05T16:38:00.003-05:00

Aloha!

Three years ago today Wildfire Coffee Roasters opened its doors for business. To celebrate, we're hosting our annual Luau this weekend and offering $3 specials all month long in appreciation for your continued support.

We couldn't have made it this far without you.

Thank you!

We're all family.

2008-07-29T17:58:00.006-05:00

Some customers know where to find the cream if it's not out, so they help themselves. Some have taken our trash out for us. Still others have even swept the place! We love our customers, and we consider them a part of our extended family, and hope they feel like they are stepping into an extension of our home living room. We invite everyone in to sit and chat, have a drink and relax.

So we have one particular customer.. hmm.. let's call himmmmm... uh.. Antoine! Yeah. Antoine.

He is a dashing young dad who likes to frequent Wildfire Coffee. Now his drink of choice is usually a 12oz Mocha; though this East Coaster is not afraid to show his softer side by ordering a fruity mango smoothie. Yes. I said fruity! And if it came with an umbrella, he'd be first in line.

I know.. sounds like a winner, eh ladies? He's also happily married. Very happily married. I have not met his wife, but I imagine she could probably take you out with one stomp of her Jimmy Choos. So don't even think about it. She sounds like a doll, though. (anyone who could put up with him is ok in my book!!! har har)

Today Antoine and I we were chatting about the fact that he usually sits at the table near the register-- and sees an eyeful of drama.

He's witnessed flirting sessions. He's been front row when someone came in cheering about a firing. He's rolled his eyes at countless men who shamelessly check out our cute swimming moms who stop by. I've joked that we should get him some popcorn for all the drama he's seen here.

He is a self described "trouble-maker."

One time as a practical joke we put a Houston Astros cap in place of his NY Yankees cap sitting on the table. He's a HUGE yankees fan, and he noticed it immediately and was all like.. ok.. ha ha!! gimme my cap!" Egads.. we all had a good laugh at that one.

It's a good thing we didn't think to hang it on the ceiling fan, like the time my brothers did that to my sister's teddy bear when she was 6. Only, Antoine would have been able to reach up and grab it. My tiny sister.. notsomuch!

Gotta love "family!"

Vacation- all I ever wanted

2008-07-23T11:13:00.005-05:00

Mark and I went to Southern California for a much needed vacation away from the shop. The first day, we went to Manhattan beach, and I had the BEST cotton candy ever.

cotton candy head

Tuesday we went to Little Ethiopia. A restaurant there did coffee ceremonies. Traditionally, it consists of roasting coffee on a cast iron skillet, and serving it up right there, complete with incense. The woman who served us is from Ethiopia, and told us she learned to make coffee from her mother, who still lives there.

The coffee, just off the fire. It's crackling and popping.

Pouring the coffee from the clay pot

She pours it from a certain height to keep the coffee grounds out.

Mark tries his hand at pouring the coffee.

Little cup of coffee. Black, no sugar. No cream. Soooo Strong! But tasty.

A boobilicious confection at an exotic cake bakery in Little Ethiopia.

After our adventures in Little Ethiopia, we trekked across town to find the L.A. Intelligensia Coffee. It's a Chicago-based Coffee Roaster with just 4 locations there, and one new one in L.A., on Sunset Blvd.

We walked in, and I heard a familiar sound. Chop. Chop. Chop. Chop. The sound of chocolate being chopped on a cutting board with a big knife. Hey! I thought WE were the only ones who did that!!!! Once I saw the pile of chocolate on the cutting board, I knew I had to have a mocha. And it was delicious.

Cool place, eh!?

A Cupful of Art

2008-07-18T16:37:00.005-05:00

If you've been to Wildfire Coffee, then you most likely have been served a latte in a ceramic cup complete with a nice leaf etched in the foam.

Ever wonder how we do it? Rey will show you!

The finished latte with Rey's swanky art adorning the foam.

Rey with his creation.

Wildfire's Ethiopia Yirg judged "Outstanding"

2008-07-09T14:13:00.008-05:00

So we've been roasting for about 5 years now. In business for 3. Now. Finally. Finally! Wildfire Coffee Roasters gets some national recognition.

Yes, our little Ethiopia beans received a 90 out of a possible 100 points in a blind cupping along side some of the established and best roasters in the business.

It all started with an email from a customer named John. It wasn't addressed to us. It was sent to "Coffee Review." The website was looking for reader submissions for their favorite coffees from around the country. This is when a lot of the little-known coffee roasters get recognition.

Coffee Review started in 1997. It consisted of blind cuppings by the experts in the coffee field. The results are given in 100 point reviews, similar to the wine industry. Over the last 11 years, the site has grown to become THE go-to site for coffee lovers to find the best and most interesting coffees out there, while recognizing the art of coffee roasting.

We are so proud to have been nominated, and to be awarded such a high score! 90 points out of a 100!

Here is a little about what they said..

"The reader who nominated the excellent Yirgacheffe from San Antonio-based Wildfire Coffee Roasters (90) wrote that he "would like to see a roaster from a non-traditional (for most roasters) part of the U.S. get a mention."

Blind assessment: "Floral and tangy orange notes in the aroma with a sweet hint of honey."

Come by and try some!

Article
Coffee Ratings

Sign of the times

2008-07-01T14:11:00.006-05:00

Mind your manners.

Imagine the following scenario.

A man steps into the store.

He seems nice enough. I greet him with a smile and "Good morning!" He replies, "Good morning!" He walks up to the counter and I ask, "What can I get for you today?" To which he puts his finger up as if to say, "one second" and pulls out a crossword puzzle, then he starts filling in the words!

He's not paying any attention to me, but is saying the clues aloud. "hmm, what's a 4 letter word for 'impolite?'"

"oh, sorry.. yes.. I'll have a large latte," he says.

"Great!" I exclaim, "Would you like a flavor added?"

He looks down at his crossword.. "RUDE! That's what it is.. rude. Now.. 6 down.. oh sorry.. I HAD to do that crossword right now, what what was it you asked me?"

Would you ever think to do such a thing to someone?

Probably not.

But people do it every single day. Only not with a crossword. But a cell phone. Cell phones have taken over the part of the brain that governs manners in our daily life. People have that thing stuck to their heads, as if they will shrivel up once it gets too far away from their ear.

I see it at the grocery store. A customer ahead of me is yelling in their cell phone all the while the cashier is timidly saying "That'll be $23.55."

I see it at restaurants. Servers aren't sure if customers are ready to order because those customers are on their phones.

What is happening here? What is so important that it can't wait just 2 minutes? Where have our manners gone!?

Some people have teased me about my dislike for cell phones at the counter. But I think it's more than just a "dislike." It's about respect. Respecting me. Respecting our business. Respecting people.

I think we've lost sight of that.

So to take back our counter, so to speak, we've posted a nicely worded sign,

To ensure
accurate service,
no cell phones
at the counter, please.

Lots of customers have noticed it, and applauded it. The only people who have not said anything about it?

Those who had a cell phone stuck to their ear and did not see it.

-Tricia

Scenes from the shop

2008-06-22T16:56:00.005-05:00

Expanded Family

Meet our new nephew, Billy. He's standing with Mark's brother Bobby, whose family just adopted him. He is now officially Billy Ray Sobhani. And now our grand total of nieces and nephews on both sides of our family totals: 13!! WOW!!!! Big families are fun. (in the background is Grace who wishes she'd never set foot in our store because she was immediatly harassed by James, another of Mark's brothers.)

Busted!

Rey. On the phone. During his shift. tsk tsk tsk. But I let it slide, since it was his dad calling from who knows where. He drives an 18 wheeler across the country to make deliveries here and there.

ICK!

Sarah tests out some frozen drink samples sent to us recently from a supplier. Ew. It's a good thing we make our own frozen drink mix. These tasted very "chemically" and fake. As Sarah put it "I'd feel ripped off if I paid money for this frozen drink!" So we won't be using any pre-made mixes. Ever.

Spell check! Where are you?
Sarah shows us the shoes she decorated for kickball. Classic!

Nice parking job.
Rey invades my space.

-Tricia

Wildfire Athletic t-shirt

2008-06-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

$10

Just like the kickball team wears.

Limited quantity.

You know you want one!

A night at the races

2008-06-17T14:57:00.000-05:00

What a night!

Mark and I took our employees to Retama Park for an appreciation dinner for our Critic's Choice win in the San Antonio Express-News. We got a nice ad in the program, and a congratulatory announcement during a race named after Wildfire!

Thank you to Lisa Medrano, one of our beloved customers, for organizing this for us!

The night started rather chill with a view from the air conditioned clubhouse and a prime rib feast.
We were then escorted to the track for a view of the "Wildfire Classic" race from the winner's circle.

We even presented a trophy to the winners!
Then back to the clubhouse for some betting. Some winning. Some losing. Rey was the big winner of the night. Winning more than 40 bucks on one race! Go Rey!
If you want to see more pics, go here. We had so much fun, we hope to do it again next year.

There are still a few more weeks of live racing left at Retama Park. We recommend spending the couple of extra dollars and heading up to the Terrace Dining room on the Clubhouse level. It's cool and comfortable, everyone who works there was super nice, and you get an excellent view of the races!

-Tricia

Tanzania Peaberry is back

2008-06-14T11:18:00.000-05:00

After a short hiatus, Tanzania Peaberry, a Wildfire favorite grown on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, is back on the shelf.

Mark just roasted a small batch last night.

Tanzania is on the Eastern part of Africa, but this coffee is quite different from its other counterparts grown there. If you look at the photo below, you'll see a sampling of two beans from Africa. Tanzania Peaberry is on the top, and Kenya AA is at the bottom. The Tanzania beans are smaller and rounder.
Usually, a coffee cherry consists of two flat beans, but sometimes only one develops. These singles are separated from the rest of the crop and given the name "Peaberry."

How does it taste? Rich floral body, with a bright and vibrant cup profile. Kinda snappy!

Tanzania factoids:

Language: Swahili or Kiswahili, but English is spoken for commerce and higher education.
Coffee Production: 102,036,000 lbs
Altitude: 950-1900 meters

Pick up a bag today!

-Tricia

The breakfast of champions, i.e. we were doomed from the start.

2008-06-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

It all started after getting 3 hours of sleep Sunday morning following a 2 hour drive from Grainger (north of Austin.) We called in a 2 taco order that took 20 min too long. Mark and I got to the park to find only 4 other people there. Drats. Forfeit. We played a scrimmage, then waited for our next game to begin.

Sammy spied someone with some delectable-looking nachos. Ricos Cheese. Round tortilla chips. Canned jalapenos. It's a concession stand staple that Sammy couldn't resist. Mark followed.

Lucas lamented that next week we should have a meeting to talk about pre-game nutrition, because apparently, it didn't sit too well in Mark's stomach. You know it's bad if Mark can't eat it. He usually has a stomach of steel.
We started the game strong.

Laura played a mean third base. She was awesome! She even fell twice. She was on the ground, her face in the dirt, and she still made an out. She stretched her leg and pointed her toe as far as it would go and reached the base while lying on the ground. Now that's dedication.
We held them off during the first inning. Then we scored 2 runs. We were winning!!! Then the moneymakers had a strong 3 run inning. Then we were losing again.

Suddenly Mark wasn't feeling too well. First, he pulled a quad muscle, then the nachos began fighting with the chilequiles taco in his stomach. Not good. He sat out the rest of the game while Sammy stepped in to pitch for Mark.

In the end, we were only able to get a total of 6 runs to their 8. But we did our best, and even with two men down, were still able to score some runs! We rocked that field.

There are no games next weekend because of Father's Day, but we will be back the week after and we may even have a full team of 10!

Tricia

Cheesecake Frozen Latte disaster

2008-06-07T15:20:00.000-05:00

Some multi-billion dollar companies have marketing departments that take up entire skyscraper floors. They hire focus groups who sit around a table all day and brainstorm drink ideas. They hire food scientists, recipe developers, flavor specialists who spend a year testing drinks to judge public reaction.

Here at Wildfire, we ARE the marketing department. We come up with a wild hair and run with it. If we like it, we put it on the menu that day. If the customers like it, then it might go on our permanent menu.

Today, our wild hair idea came from Meredith, from Oak Haven Massage. She suggested a cheesecake frozen latte made with no-bake cheesecake mix.

It SOUNDED a lot better than it turned out. We had high hopes for this concoction: Two shots of espresso. No bake mix. Milk. Ice. blend. The consistency was okay.. a little icy, but not bad.

Then the taste test.

It started out sweet, then ended with a sour milk flavor that stuck to the sides of your throat and burned the nostrils. If you ever need to induce vomiting after accidentally drinking poison.. then this is the drink for you!

So Cheesecake frozen latte made with no bake cheesecake mix will not make it on Wildfire's menu this time. And it only cost us $1.72 to find this out.

I shudder to think what the big guys spend on failed recipes.

-Tricia

Check out our nifty plaque

2008-06-07T14:56:00.000-05:00

Last week the San Antonio Express-News picked Wildfire Coffee as their critic's choice for Best Local Coffee Shop. We tied with another great cafe, called Timo's.

Well, much to our surprise, they delivered a spiffy plaque to hang up in the shop. Now.. where to hang it? It's even biligual. It says Numero Uno. That means Number one!

-Tricia

Hemp and seeds

2008-06-05T14:39:00.000-05:00

I confess.

I have another love besides Mark. It's chocolate. Dark, smooth, rich, real chocolate. So it's no surprise that my heart skipped when the Fedex guy walked in with our newest arrival of Dagoba Organic Chocolate bars.

We got three varieties. 100%, 59%, and seeds.

The 100% is not for sissies. It's pure unadulterated unsweetened 100% dark chocolate. The only ingredient is cacao. No milk. No sugar. No nothing else. It's called Prima Materia and comes from Madagascar. If you're a serious cacao connoiseur, then this is the bar to try, apparently. I am not quite brave enough to crack one open, but I imagine it's amazing.

The 59% bar is exactly what it is. 59% cacao. It's not too milky. Not too dark. Perfect for a summer breezy morning, lying by the pool with a book. Melt a piece in your mouth, and you have the perfect day in my world.

The seeds bar is packed with hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. DUDE! Just enough to know they're there, but not too many to get annoyed, or high.

-Tricia

New Coffee shop on Padre Island

2008-06-03T09:07:00.000-05:00

Planning a road trip to Corpus Christi this summer? Then make sure you stop by our newest account, Grounded Coffee Cafe.

Dawn Michelson is the bubbly owner of this quirky little coffee shop on Padre Island. She is usually there to share her passion for the bean.

So stop by, hang out a bit, and enjoy some delicious drinks!

It's located just over the bridge on Padre Island.

Grounded Coffee Cafe
14254 S Padre Island Dr
Corpus Christi, TX 78418
(361) 949-1944

Kickball!

2008-06-02T14:05:00.000-05:00

It all started with a hair-brained idea after seeing a story in the San Antonio Express-News. Let's form a kickball team! A sign up sheet got filled. People paid their fees, and we suddenly had a team. Okay, now what? I guess play.

Our first double header was Sunday, June 1.

We didn't practice. We barely got there on time. We had no idea what positions people would play. But we took the field... and got hammered.

Team Wildfire got KILLED by the competition: The Undertakers (from a local funeral home.)

I think there is a mercy rule regarding keeping score after 14 runs to nothing. We were the nothing. :)

Natalie kicks the ball in the game against the Undertakers.

Is it sad that we cheered when an official came up to us and said game two was a forfeit?

So we are 1-1.

We did practice after our loss, and we'll be ready to take on Team Fury Sunday June 8 at 11am.

-Tricia

Critic's Choice- Best Coffee shop!

2008-06-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

Well.. the readers apparently don't get it. But the critics do!

Thank you for voting, but the majority of San Antonio decided to vote once again for a National Coffee chain for best local coffee shop. Oh, San Antonio.. when will you learn?

But fear not.

The Critics of the San Antonio Express-News DO know better! They picked us as their choice for best local coffee shop. We're in good company, tying with another great place called Timo's.

Check out the entire list, and read the story they published about Wildfire!

Critic's Choice- Coffeehouse

Reader's Choice 2008- Complete List

Memorial Day

2008-05-23T18:40:00.000-05:00

Wildfire Coffee will be OPEN Memorial Day, May 26, 2008 from 9am-5pm

Come try a drink from our new summer menu for only 2 dollars each!

New Orleans Souvenirs

2008-05-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

Mark is back in town after covering the Spurs in New Orleans. He brought back some souvenir Mardi Gras Masks for the ladies of Wildfire.

New Espresso Blend

2008-05-14T09:06:00.000-05:00

Our Texas Blend has a new cousin!

Introducing Wildfire Coffee’s 1835 Espresso Blend.

Indian and Central American coffees are blended to
make a perfectly sweet espresso with exploding citrus
notes that are rounded out with an underlying hint
of molasses.

This aromatic, medium-dark roast is great as a
straight shot, or as a base for cappuccinos.

$13/lb.

Scenes from the shop

2008-05-13T20:13:00.000-05:00

So the dry cleaning place next door apparently got fed up with the parking situation here, and took it into their own hands to "save" a spot for themselves. They put out a parking cone that said "reserved for dry cleaning customers only." Some of OUR OWN customers scoffed at that and decided we should do it too. I thought "YEAH!! Why not!?, until I saw this act of parking cone-icide. Take that you.. you.. CONE! Poor thing. Didn't even see it coming.

Maybe someone wanted to illustrate a point that the cone was unfair. Maybe he did not see the bright orange plastic monstrosity. Maybe he misjudged the apparent large size of his vehicle when he parked into the tiny spot. One can only speculate.

Speaking of gigantic vehicles. What is wrong with this picture?

Oh.. I know!! A HUGE truck is blocking our door! Good thing it was after closing. Doesn't the shop look pretty? Well, I mean, besides that fact that a massive fast food delivery truck is blocking the front windows?

And last but not least, take a look at Natalie's nifty latte art! Ain't it purty? And delicious too. Come by and try one.

-Tricia

Signs in the shop

2008-05-08T17:27:00.000-05:00

Signs I wish I could post in the shop:

Restrooms are for customers only (actually, this one is going up real soon. I'm being taken advantage of, and frankly, I need to put an end to it.
If you are in a bad mood please leave. This is a happy place.
Solicitors will be charged a two-drink minimum.
If you are mad at life, don't take it out on me.

Signs I HAVE posted in the shop:

Gimme and Lemme are not words
Smiling makes you better looking
Unattended children will be given a double espresso and a puppy
GET OFF THE PHONE!!!
Repeat after me: "I need to call you back, I'm about to order my coffee."

-Tricia

Mark has a really cool photo blog!

2008-05-05T16:55:00.000-05:00

Mark's out of town.. covering the Spurs at the NBA playoffs in New Orleans.

Check out his new photo blog.

http://photo-mark.blogspot.com/

In the meantime.. I'm here at the shop, hoping something doesn't blow up while he's gone. When he travels is usually the time when the A/C suddenly goes out, or the espresso machine stops making steam, or the coffee brewer has a fit and refuses to brew. sigh.

So far the only bad thing that happened was that there was a possum in our garbage can at home. I dealt with it the only way I knew how.

I dumped it out onto the field across the street and RAN!

-Tricia

Do I hear 55?55!60?

2008-05-03T19:32:00.000-05:00

It was an ominous-looking building. A metal and concrete structure in the middle of what looked like a ranch.

But it didn't house horses.

It held: Refrigerators. Tables. Chairs. Freezers. Baking supplies. Cooking utensils. Items which once to belonged to now-closed businesses. There I was, surrounded by middle aged men, all of us crowding around an even older grey-haired fellow with a knack for talking fast. Really fast. I was in the middle of an auction.

A small-business owner hoping to cash in on other business owners' losses. It's an unfortunate reality.. but one I could not ignore. In front of me: an entire coffee shop, packed up haphazardly and shoved into the corner of this massive building. Shelves of supplies, containers, retail items, chairs, tables, machines, coffee makers, grinders sitting, waiting for a new home. If this were 3 years ago, I'd have bought the entire section. But we already had everything we needed. We did not need 3000 paper cups with another coffee shop's name on them. We did not need 50 chairs or 20 tables.

I was there to see if I could get some deals. I eyed the espresso machine, but ended up missing the auction on it, because I was on the phone with Mark, telling him about our CHAIRS!! I scored some comfy chairs. I also got a commercial microwave, a TON of milk carafes, and a bookshelf. All from this coffee shop that was in business for just 8 months.

I had my eye on the blenders. Almost-new blenders with 2 extra pitchers with the noise shields. Noise shields! I daydreamed about not ever having to hear someone YELLING their order when we are making Frozen Lattes. But alas. It was not meant to be.

Mark and I had decided ahead of time a price we thought would be fair. I bid my heart out, raising my bidder's card and nodding my head until I went past the number we had agreed upon. My heart was beating so fast. I wanted those blenders. I raised it a couple more times, because I knew Mark respected my judgment, and these blenders were worth it.

Before I knew it we were a hundred dollars over our limit. The auctioneer looked at me and waited for me to go higher. I couldn't do it. I could not go on. It just didn't seem right. The bids were going too high for my comfort, with no signs of slowing. I had to bow out. And the prize went to someone else.

Bummer. While I was disappointed with that small loss, I had a great time anyway. I got some good buys. And I learned the sometimes confusing, fast-talking language of the auction.

SOLD!

-Tricia

See you on TV

2008-05-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Wildfire was on tv April 30 on KABB channel 29.

They did a story about college students and caffeine.. and used our shop as a backdrop for a lot of the shots. Reporter Monica Taylor even interviewed me for the story. Our name got some good airtime as well.

Watch it here. Not sure how long it will be up. It's called: "Students relying on more than stamina to study for finals."

http://kabb.com/vod/videoplayer.shtml

Tricia

Taste of the Northside

2008-04-24T16:00:00.000-05:00

The Taste of the Northside.

"Hmm.. I wonder if I should have printed a map."

So began our trek to Canyon Springs Golf Club on the far North Side. A trek that took a few minutes longer than it should have, because we missed our turn. Then me and Rey saw a TV station's live truck going the other way.. "Let's follow them!" I yelled. I pulled an illegal u-turn at Stone Oak and Hwy 281.. and found our way quite easily.

Once there, it was a comedy of errors figuring out all the little things we forgot. Syrup pump. Spoon. Bean Hopper. My list failed me. I had crossed these items off BEFORE they made it to the truck. Note to self: Make more lists!

We got set up and waited for the influx of customers. It was slow at first. People wanted food. And beer. I chatted with a few people I knew. Shara and Natalie arrived and we were ready.

We served up Iced Vanilla Lattes and regular brewed coffee for the no frills crowd. People were genuinely happy to see us there, and some of our regular customers stopped by to say hi.

However, we did meet a few. sigh. How should I say this? Interesting people. It's amazing how people's conversation filter shuts off when people get sloppy drunk. A memorable night for people-watching, that's for sure. For them.. they probably won't recall anything.

We had so much fun. We were right by the stage, so we got to watch a lot of tipsy people who thought they could dance shake their wares for all to see.

SHARA will be checking in soon to give her take on the madness.

-Tricia

Fiesta fun

2008-04-22T19:32:00.001-05:00

Time once again for the Taste of the Northside, Wednesday April 23 from 5:3op-10:30p!

We'll have a booth set up and we'll be making iced lattes and drip brew. Come say hi to the Wildfire gang!

Pics to be posted after the event.

For more information:

Taste of the Northside

Cascaron Time!

2008-04-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

And so it begins..

It happens every year.

Mid-April rolls around and San Antonio is hit with the double-whammy: Spurs Playoffs and Fiesta!

The two traditions are almost inseparable. Walk down Broadway on Friday or Saturday as people are piling in for the big parades, and you'll see hoardes of people watching a Spurs game on portable televisions and multimedia cell phones. High school marching bands compete against radios blasting the game's live play-by-play.

Here at Wildfire Coffee.. things are getting crazy. People are loading up on icy caffeinated drinks to liven up their downtown commute. And the cascarones are flying. Confetti is already covering the floor here at the coffee shop. So you better watch out!

Back to our Spurs..

Rey, our resident professional latte artist is readying his pitcher to make some festive milk foam art for the playoffs. So come in and have a drink.. it might even look like this latte Rey made.

-Mark and Tricia

Celebrating St. Drogo

2008-04-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

Ever wish you could be in two places at once? Being a small business owner, that would be the coolest power ever. What? We need to roast more coffee? But wait.. Customers are coming in they need to be helped, and all our employees are taking final exams! Ta dah!! Two places at once.

St. Drogo reportedly was able to do just that. Bilocate. He was seen going to mass while simultaneously being seen working in his fields.

Incidentally, he happens to be the patron saint of coffee shop owners. Ahh.. how convenient. When asked what superpower I would like to have, I almost always say the power to be in two places at once. Just like St. Drogo!

The story goes that he was born a Flemish Noble whose mother died giving birth to him. Once he learned this, he was so filled with guilt that he practiced extreme penances. He eventually was stricken with illness that made him physically repulsive. So he became a hermit and a shepherd, revered for his holiness.

Today is the day to honor St Drogo. The patron saint of: Coffee shop owners, broken bones, bodily ills, unattractive people, dumbness, and insanity.

We're in good company, indeed.

-tricia

2008-03-19T19:38:00.000-05:00

Well. I did it.

My first ever half marathon. For those who may not know, I am a runner. Well, I move my legs and somehow my body follows. I am not fast by any stretch of the imagination. But I can cover the distance.

Let me back up a bit. In 2006 I dedicated myself to get back to what makes me happy. Running. So my husband and I joined a gym, and I was on my way to building my mileage back up to what it had been before we had opened the coffee shop. I was working out 3-4 times a week and getting back in the swing of things, but wondering why I had this nagging pain in my side. Other symptoms made me miss lots of workouts and forced me to finally tell Mark about it, and make an appointment to see a doctor.

Turns out I had a cyst taking up residence inside my ovary. In addition, there was “something” in my uterus. And it wasn’t a baby. Yikes. Suddenly running wasn’t so important, but getting better was. I had two surgeries to remove the offending parties, and during the time I was not able to exercise, I missed running even more.

Once I was cleared to run, and at full 100% health (yay!) I went full speed ahead. I found a “beginner” running training plan that would help me build muscle and endurance once again. I did that for around 12 weeks, then I saw that there was a half marathon in March in Seabrook. That would be my goal race. The in-laws live there. It would be a nice excuse to get us out there to visit.

I began training for it in December. I would increase my mileage slowly over the course of 12 weeks. I missed only one long run when I was out with a cold. My long runs increased by a mile every week. Every week was a milestone. 5 miles. 6 miles. 7 miles. 8 miles! Then the dreaded double digits. wow. 10 miles. I had never done it before. Could I go that far? Yes I did. Then before I knew it the race was here.

We drove to Houston on Friday, with the race being on Sunday. Plenty of time to get acclimated to the humidity. Turns out.. it was not humid at all! The weather was perfect!

A friend and I ran together. We met up at the starting line, made our way to the back, and within minutes the gun went of and we were on our way!

The first mile was cool and windy. I almost lost my hat. In retrospect I should have let it fly, because it just sat on top of my head in a very unflattering way. I would not know this until after the race, when I would see the photos on the camera. Ouch. We did it in 12:45 not bad.. but I was worried we’d gone out too fast. That is my MO. Go out too fast, then gasp for air at the end. 12:45 felt good, but this was 13.1 miles. Could we hold that pace for 13.1 miles? Nope. But we would try.

Mile 2 came and went before we knew it. We were feeling great.. still on pace, and began to see the marathoners zoom past us coming from the other direction on the trail across the street. Man, the leaders were fast! Then we saw some half-marathoners. We knew the turnaround was up there somewhere. We rounded the corner and then we saw it. Waves! Water! It was amazing! What a view! I love the ocean. Well.. technically it was the bay. But for our purposes right then right there it was the ocean. We rejoiced and I’m certain we both had huge grins plastered on our faces when we saw the water. And.. the cookies! The aid station at the bay had cookies! I opted not to partake, as I did not want to toss them and see them again later. I just slurped down some water to go with my shot blok, and smiled at the bay. Just so you know, the beach is my “happy” place. It’s where my mind goes when faced with icky challenges. (like surgery, dental work, medical exams) I filed that image in my head for use later in the race. I would need it.

So we were feeling pretty good. Meredith and I had fun answering the trivia questions along the course. Who is Miss Piggy in love with? GAH! Kermit. Give us something we don’t know. Then another cardboard sign: Clear Lake Fitness Club wants you to succeed! Aww. Ok. That’s nice! Just plodding along happy in our thoughts. I had my ipod on low so we could converse. “brick hooouuuuse” She’s lucky I didn’t sing aloud.

Around mile 4 it struck. The knee pain. Ouch. I knew it would happen. It usually hits at mile 4 and lasts through mile 6. Run through it and it will go away. It did.

Around mile 5 or so, the aid station had paper towels! The sun had come out and boy were we sweaty. Those were nice. “Clear Lake Fitness Club Wants you to succeed!” I placed it in my back pocket to retrieve later. of course, later when I needed it it was gone! It had fallen out somewhere. I felt bad for littering, but it was not intentional so the guilt went away quickly.

When we neared the end of the first loop, I saw them. My Husband. His Brother. Their father. All clapping for me as I ran by. Mark was taking pictures. Meredith and I were cheering and smiling. (I think) I was so happy and proud that my in-laws would come support me like that. I have such a wonderful family. They would never doubt my ability to succeed. I am so lucky. HAH! It was the “Lucky Trail Half Marathon” after all!

Then it hit me. The smell. The race organizers were barbecuing our post-race lunch. The smell was overwhelming. Usually bbq would make a normal person’s mouth water. But no. I am not normal. I gagged. That’s my other MO. Gag at every little smell. I thought was I gonna throw up. But I put my hands in front of my nose and smelled my sweat. Much better. Imagine the beach. Imagine the beach. The bay is coming up again in just a few more miles.

One. More. Loop. We can do this. “Clear Lake Fitness Club wants you to succeed!” Around mile 9 I started to feel weak. My stomach was growling. My meager breakfast of half a bowl of oatmeal, a pancake, and a bite of banana was not enough! See, I have this problem with gagging at breakfast too. I did not choke down enough calories. Back at the aid station at the bay. I had an orange and saved the peel. Thank you Meredith for the brilliant idea. “Put the peel up to your nose when we pass the smelly bbq!” We stopped to stretch our quads. We must’ve looked pretty worn out because a volunteer rushed up to us and asked if we needed help. No we’re fine!

I really wanted to stop. But we’d come so far! If Meredith hadn’t been there I might have talked myself into quitting right there. My stomach was growling. My legs felt like they were gonna give out at any moment. I was running out of gas. My knees and hips were starting to hurt again. I felt a slight twinge in my abdomen. Yo! It was one of the surgery incisions reminding me it was there. It does that from time to time.“Clear Lake Fitness Club wants you to succeed!” Clear Lake Fitness Club can shove it.

Once we got into our groove it was smooth sailing. We felt good again. We were having fun! I was enjoying the trees. The people. The weather. It was amazing. Yes, it was a runner’s high. And it came at mile 12, when we passed a volunteer who yelled “You’re doing great! You won’t see me again! You have one more turn and you are DONE!” We wanted to cry. We both got teary. We confessed that we might cry at the finish line. From pain? From happiness? Maybe both.

Seeing the finish line was incredible. We tried to speed up.. but we just could not muster enough energy to sprint. I felt like I was smiling.. but in the pictures I look constipated. Oh, and the hat. It just sat on top of my head like the huge mesh trucker caps my junior high track coach used to wear. Coach Brown Style. Nice. Note to self: dual pony tails do not work with hats.

We crossed the finish line. The lady handed me my finisher’s medal. My first. I put that thing around my neck and wore it with pride.

YES!!! I finished. Without injury!

Yes, I was sore.

I was tired.

I was hungry.

But, I could not wipe that grin off my face.

I ran a half marathon.

2007-06-11T12:15:00.001-05:00

This is some cool latte art Rey poured, then etched.