The Best Coffeehouse in My City, Baton Rouge – Part 1

We find many coffee shops in our town, Baton Rouge, LA. Sure, famous coffeehouse franchises such as Starbucks and Community Coffee (CC) are every where in the city.

Image 1- Brew Ha Ha, a coffee shop

Actually, Our areas have plenty local Coffeehouses as well, however the names could be unique and funny for who unfamiliar with:

- Brew Ha Ha
- Java Mama
- Coffee call
- River coffeehouse
- Garden district
- Coffee bean cafe

Image 2- A gate in the Garden, illustration

I have two favorite places with two different reasons to drink a cup of coffee. The places are:

- Coffee Call
- Starbucks at Barnes & Noble bookstore

Image 3- To Go coffee cup

Visiting the Starbucks with main reason that the shop locates in the book store, Barnes & Noble. Reading books, magazines or surfing internet accompanied by a cup of coffee. My favorite is cappuccino.

Image 4- Like family gathering Inside the Coffee Call

Then, what the reasons to come to the Coffee Call?

# To be continued to Part 2

## Previous postings:

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Learning Process Based on My Own Experienced – Part 2 – Science 28
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Minnie Winnie RV of Homeless People in Our City

We are familiar with homeless people when we have a daily walking or jogging in the public park or city garden in recent days.

Image 1- A suspect homeless car

We believe some of them have their own car, and then parked in the public parking lots of the city park or city garden.

One of the “Minnie Winnie RVs” has been parked since several months ago. We have noticed the RV just moving from one corner to another corner for 2 or 3 days cycles (periods).

Based on report from a local newspaper, The Advocate (February, 2023) that city shelters have given services to a quite higher number of homeless people than usual during 2022.

Image 2- One of Minnie Winnie RV interiors from Google

Shelters don’t able to provide services for everyone. Hence, homeless must find their own way to survive.

Some lucky people even have RV as their temporary shelter.

By searching through Google, we found the new brand price of Minnie Winnie RV could reach more than US$ 100,000,-

I guess it is a luxury car.

Image 3- RV, photo was taken from back

The important point of this post that today rich people “possibly” be homeless by tomorrow.

Life could be “upside down” for many people at a certain time.

Image 4- The right side of RV

# Previous postings:

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- The Rainbow Before Evening : White Hominy Pearls Tossed with Coconut Shreds – Part 1 – Food 32
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Why are We Worry with Human Extinction? - Science 29
- The Rainbow Before Evening : Leprosy is One of the Oldest Ancient Diseases - Part 2 - Healthy Life 27
- The Rainbow Before Evening : A Pheasant in Neighborhood – Nature 45

Million Chickens are Killed in the USA

As far as I remember the cost of a dozen large white egg was about US$ 1.54 last year, January 2022.

Image 1- Two roosters at yard

I just back from a grocery, the price quite surprising me, US$ 5.2 for the same amount and type of eggs.

If we compared to the last year, thus the price has increased triple or more than 300%.

Fantastic. Unbelievable price increasing for me. Don’t make you wonder: why this happen?

Image 2- Variety of pumpkins, illustration only

Yes, we do understand that inflation is uncontrollable in recent days, but never reached double digits.

Unfortunately, millions of hens have been slaughtered due to “bird flu” or “avian influenza” diseases.

Image 3- A dozen large white eggs sold in Walmart, just illustration.

As reported by “the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, January, 2023) that no less than 57 million hens are eliminated due to virus outbreak across America.

Hence, the eggs supplies are decreasing in great number. Price goes up in the market.

Did your places experience with avian virus diseases?

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Local Coffee Shop in Our City, Baton Rouge

I believe that you recognize “Starbucks” as one of American coffee shops which is well known worldwide.

Image 1- One of coffee shop chains

In many developing countries, drinking coffee in Starbucks shops is identical to “modern and even hedonism life.”

To attract more customers, Starbucks shops adapted local designs, and provide local products and tastes.

However, here in the USA, we have our own “famous” coffee shops in our city with local coffee brand and flavors.

When I was a college student, love to drink at the local coffee shop with name “Coffee Call,” especially on Friday and Saturday night.

Image 2- Few customers only

Image 3- Online customers to get services

Image 4- One employee doing his job

On those days, coffee shop opens whole night, so we may come in the early night and stay until early morning.

What interesting for me, may be to some other guests as well that we could drink coffee as many cups as we wish, and we just need to pay one cup.

Yes, pay one cup for let’s say drink 3 cups or 4 cups. Sure, the price is much cheaper compared to well known brand, Starbucks.

How about with coffee shop in your city or places?

Have You Planned to Exit Twitter Account?

As you might know that after Elon Musk take over, Twitter seems “chaos” with several reasons.

Image 1- Image of Mastodon and Twitter (credit to Google).

At least, in my thought there are 3 (three) crucial reasons lead to “chaos” in Twitter social media:

1- First, Elon Musk “fired” thousands of Twitter’s employees include who monitors hates, bully and other nonsense speeches which spreading through out Twitter

2- Idea of “absolute freedom of speech” makes many people disagree, include big and important advertisers.

Image 2- Giant sun-gold sunflower

3- US$ 8 monthly fee for subscribers. As far as I know, no social medias have subscribed fee. Yes, there are some social medias have provided “pay” accounts, but not compulsory, just optional.

Image 3- Azalea, illustration

These 3 main reasons drive out not only million Twitter users, but also great number of advisers.

Twitter annual revenue is US$ 5.08 billion, about 90% is coming from advertising. Many big advertisers such as General Motors, Ford, Mondelez, General Mills and many more.

Do you Twitter users? If yes, do you plan exit Twitter?

What is your main reason to stay or exit Twitter?

# Previous postings:

- A Novel of Arian - Then The Fish Swallowed Him - Part 1 – Reading 6
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Commercial Firewood in Our City, Baton Rouge

There is no record the number of households use firewood for heating in our city, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Image 1- Commercial firewood

Our state does not include in top 14 states using firewood for any purposes. The most of 6 states using firewood are:

- Vermont
- Maine
- Montana
- Idaho
- Oregon
- New Mexico

Image 2- Small business cutting firewood

However, we may find the places easily which sale firewood, especially during hurricane seasons and winter season.

Image 3- Selling of firewood

The blackout is common if our city hit by natural disasters, in this case is hurricane or storms.

Image 4 – Firewood in the room

More than 5 storms arrive in our state per year. In addition to generators, some people pile up firewood for preparation.

Several people I know said that heating by firewood is cheaper compared to electric bill during cold temperature.

The cost for 1 cord is range between US$ 175 to US$ 300, depend very much to wood quality and size of wood.

One cord consists of 600 to 700 pieces woods with size of 16 x 4 inches. One home may use 1 cord for two to three months.

Electric bill is about US$ 245 per month in Louisiana. So, using of firewood for heating is reasonable cheaper compared to electric bill.

Honestly, we never used firewood for heating. How about you?

Simple Decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving around Our Neighborhood

As you know we are in the USA, have Halloween day at the end of October, then followed by Thanksgiving Day in the third week of November.

Image 1- A girl with pumpkins

In respect to decorations of Halloween and Thanksgiving, there are several types of my neighbors:

- who doesn’t have decoration at all
- who have Halloween decoration only
- who have Thanksgiving decorations only
- who have combined of Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations.

Our house includes in the type of who doesn’t have decoration at all with some reasons. 

Image 2- Halloween decoration at yard

Image 3- A smiling woman

Image 4- A skeleton decoration.

However, we do celebrate both Halloween and Thanksgiving days like other people in the world.

In case of decoration at our neighborhood, I think less and less neighbors have decoration for Halloween.

It might be due to economic constraints. People thinks about other matters than just spending time and money. Actually, I don’t know the exact reasons.

How about celebration of Halloween and Thanksgiving days in your neighborhood?

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Tax Free Outlets in the Special Area of Our State

I think many cities around the globe have a kind of “mall” composed of outlets which sell many well-known brands, and sometimes not familiar ones but promising.

Image 1- Sign of Tax free outlet

One of this kind of mall called as “Tanger Outlets,” about 40 minutes drive by car from our home, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

We visit Tanger Outlet several times a year, because many things to attract us to come and to shop in outlets:

- more than 65 outlets are available
- discount rate could reach 75%
- special event with special discount for special products
- good place for walking and enjoy

Image 2- Polo outlet

Image 3- Nike outlet

Image 4- Coach handbag, an American brands

In addition to pretty “big” discount rate, Tanger outlets also provide “tax free” for international customers.

The tax free is attractive for foreign tourists to shop. They may refund “tax free” items in places such as:

- airport when they back home
- one of building in the area of Tanger Outlets.

Based data from “Tax Free Shopping website” that international tourists spend about US$ 24 millions to US$ 40 millions per year in the state of Louisiana in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

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Young Coconut Water as Folk Remedies – Part2

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Young Coconut Water as Folk Remedies – Part1

Image 1- Coconut fruits on the tree

In many tropical countries that using young coconut water as part of folk medicine has been practiced now days, where coconut water is given to people who has fever to reduce body temperature.

When children have vomiting or diarrhea, young coconut water will be given too.

Then, pregnant women are encouraged to drink coconut water for good blood (prevent anemia).

Image 2- Three coconut fruits at a grocery

Image 3- A young coconut water

Lately, some of them believe the young coconut water is also prevent Covid-19, so young coconuts are high demand in the market.

I think this kind of believes has no scientific bases. Just belief without any prove at all.

The price of young coconuts is soaring, and the trees are cleaned from their fruits.

It will take a while to produce new coconuts 😄

It takes one year for a coconut to ripe, and six or seven months to get water from the young coconut.

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Young Coconut Water as Folk Remedies – Part1

The weather was warm and nice. It was about 89 F (32 C) degree on that noon in the area.

Image 1- A tropical coconut tree

Scrolling down getaway advertisement for summer vacation, a beach with coconut trees looks like a great place to stay in during vacation.

Enjoy the warm weather, sitting down and leaning on a coconut tree with a book and drinking coconut water from the fresh young coconut.

No doubt about it, a book and coconut water. Coconut water is one of the refreshing beverages.

We know that this water is the liquid endosperm of coconut.

Image 2- Just for illustration

Image 3- Coconuts, sold in Walmart

The liquid is clear. It is not coconut milk. The coconut milk is almost similar to milk (cow milk) in term of its physical appearance.

Honestly, we use both milks for cooking purposes, especially when we didn’t have coconut milk.

Coconut water has nutritious and health benefits. Folks who live around the area with plenty coconut trees use water from young coconut as folk medicines.

They create nutritious beverages by using young coconut water.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Is America a Wine Exporting Country? - Part 2

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- The Rainbow Before Evening : Is America Wine Exporting Country? - Part 1

Image 1- Imported wines from France

I went to a grocery a few days ago, surprising me more that a lot of imported wines come from the countries I never knew as wine exporters such as:

- Israel
- United Kingdom
- Austria
- Spain
- Portugal
- Argentina
- New Zealand

Image 2- Polka dots plant, just for illustration

Why does America Import as well as Export Wine?

First, the simple answer that American demands more wines than supplies it.

Image 3- Wine glasses, just for illustration

Second, some countries love American’s wine due to several factors, include:

- price
- taste
- familiar with some brands of American wines.

Just to let know, the countries which import American wines most are:

- Canada
- United Kingdom, Denmark
- Japan and Hong Kong

Finally, did your country wines exporter or importer or both?

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