|
As many of you know, since Argonaut made the switch to being open everyday it meant that Noah and I didn't get a day off either. We knew we couldn't sustain such a lifestyle especially after we jumped into the farmer's market, giving up one of our only precious, free evenings together. Before we hired anyone we wanted to work out all the kinks of this big change.  Last week we got to take a vacation. Our dear friends Eric + Ashley were getting married in Graeagle, California and we took the opportunity to get some space from the shop, close the doors and refresh. Before we left, we tried to alert as many of you as possible and we were so shocked and filled with gratitude by your response. Instead of thinking of yourselves, you were happy for us. You said, "Good. You need to do that." Do you know how much that means to us? That you, our customers, are willing to say, “I will sacrifice what I need, for you to be able to take a break and I'll be here when you return.” We feel truly blessed to be amidst such amazing people. On this break we did a lot of thinking. Mostly because we did a lot of driving and there is not much else to do... In all this thinking, I thought about rest. I thought about how everything in this world follows a cycle of work and rest. Trees loose their leaves in the winter and they grow back in the spring. Muscles need rest after activity to grow. The waxes and wanes are a part of this world and we need that cycle to feel right.  You know when someone tells you something and you know it on one level? And then, you don't listen to them and do that thing anyway? It is then that you learn the truth of the matter! I am telling you, working everyday is not sustainable, it is not life giving. You will read this and know it on one level but until (or if) you go through a season of no rest you will never really understand what I am telling you. Taking a break, taking a long drive has helped Noah and I to know Argonaut cannot move on alone. We need help. We need fresh ideas, new faces. In order for Argonaut to grow we had to rest and we have to make time to rest.  So, stay tuned for those fresh faces. You are going to see some new Argonaughty employees behind the bar. And, I hope you know it is because of YOU that we can move forward. That we could drive. That we could return. That we can grow.
So, with a humble and very grateful heart, THANK YOU. -Linds
0 Comments
 New sign for the booth :: espresso bar + bakery! I love farmers markets! The abundance of fresh veggies, homemade products, being outside, friendly, happy people, the range of ages who participate, live music, local cheeses... they are happy places. Last year, when Noah and I had just moved to Leavenworth we tried to go every week- bulking up on our fresh greens and usually ending up grabbing some local blueberries or other impulse goodie. It's refreshing to buy your vegetables from the farmers themselves. They had an intimate hand in making them grow, there's no middle man.  Nutty, peanut butter granola bars. Yes, they're gluten free! Since people are still shocked when we tell them we make all of our food fresh, from scratch, using our own recipes, sourcing local ingredients (like Oh Yeah Farms whole grain wheat) we thought it'd be a good idea to join in on the fun. This past Thursday was the first Leavenworth Farmer's Market of the year and Argonaut was there!  Behind the scenes at the Market. Photo by Tom Hite. It feels right to be a part of this community. We want to be there for the people who live here, who care about the land, who know how beautiful this place really is. People who love Leavenworth.
So, come by our stand some Thursday between 4 and 8PM, we’d love to chat more about why we are in Leavenworth and why we love coffee and food so much. Cheers! Lindsey For the past five years or so I have been following a blog called Orangette. Four years ago, Noah and I lived in Ballard on 70th and 24th and would walk 10 blocks to our favorite little pizza place, Delancey. When we got married, my friend bought me a book, A Homemade Life, that I couldn’t put down for our entire honeymoon!! These three things have one thing in common: Molly Wizenberg.  Making cold brew in the window sill at Argonaut. A week ago, this last Monday, I got to meet her. I met Molly Wizenberg. It was a surreal experience- meeting and talking to someone I’ve only read about. A person who I have idolized and who has inspired me. Well, I met her, she is real- and she is lovely. You know what the real icing on the cake is? The next day, she and Brandon, and their adorable daughter June, came to Argonaut! It was such a great moment, sharing our space with someone who I’ve looked up to. If you follow Orangette, it isn’t hard to tell I’m heavily influenced by her simplistic layout, personal stories and careful photography.  Straight espresso shots :: the Espresso Bar. When I read “Gastronomical Me” by M.F.K. Fisher my admiration for Molly was realized even more. There is a quote in the forward that reads: “People ask me: Why do you write about food, and eating and drinking? Why don’t you write about the struggle for power and security, and about love, the way others do? / They ask it accusingly, as if I were somehow gross, unfaithful to the honor of my craft. / The easiest answer is to say that, like most other humans, I am hungry.” It was when I read that, that I understood why I love what Molly does. She writes in a way that you get a glimpse into the people behind the food. This is part of why Delancey is so great: great people. I love the experience of food and beverage and how it brings people together, allows for conversation, the experience of food allows for life.  Noah walking under the green leaves on the sidewalk. Cheers on the beginning of another beautiful week! May it be filled with love and laughter and especially good food!
-Lindsey You guys! Argonaut is OPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY.  As you know, this winter season we decided to be closed two days a week. It was a response to our space being merely a walk-up and the fact that there are less people in town. Now, as the weather has been getting increasingly nicer and warmer and so many of you are asking for it, we have decided to be open every day. We want to be able to provide you with the best espresso in town on the daily so you don't ever have to ask yourself, "Wait, is Argonaut open today?" Also, with the days getting longer and many of us waking up earlier, we want to be there for you when you need it so, not only are we open everyday but we are open earlier on the weekdays! Argonaut is now open at 7AM Monday-Friday.  This decision has been a long one coming. Since we opened, Noah and I have debated whether we should be closed one, two or no days. Up until now, we've opted for at least one day to ourselves. And although we totally believe in self-care, making sure to take time for yourself, it seems like the right time to make the switch. We must move with the way we feel is right and figure it out as we go!  When Noah and I go rock climbing, a point in our adventure usually occurs when I'm on a route, Noah belaying below, when I say "I don't know what to do, there's no holds, there's no where to go." And Noah responds, "Just reach out, stand up and the hold will be there for you. And, even if it's not, I've got you." We've reached that point at Argonaut and we can't deny it anymore- we have to grab the next hold even if we don't fully understand how it will work yet. We've made this move cautiously with sustainability on our mind, but it is time to stand up and reach out. Noah and I have had the best time settling in to our little spot and we're so excited for this summer. We hope Argonaut will meet some new faces and spread the joy of finely crafted espresso to even more people who live and work in the area.  Argonaut's NEW HOURS:
Monday-Thursday 7am-noon Friday 7am-4pm Saturday + Sunday 8am-4pm See you soon! -Lindsey This post is a couple weeks late but I thought I would share some pictures with you... For my Twenty-Eighth birthday this year, Noah and I took a trip to Seattle to hit some new food-spots. It was a tour d' eats in the city and it was delicious!
 Bahn Mi w/ side of Pho Broth + Stateside Daiquiri. The weekend after my birthday I got to go on a Bachelorette weekend while our friend Zach guest Barista'd. The ladies and I enjoyed some pretty amazing views from our rented house atop the hill.
Last weekend, while Zach was still around, we all took a hike to the Eight Mile Lake. It was beautiful, to say the least.  On the Eight Mile Lake Trail, the first lake.  Eight Mile Lake Trail. All of these trips and adventures make me feel so blessed to live in this amazing place. We are so close to so much beauty- whether it is a short trip over the pass to the city, a drive down the road to an amazing trail or a jaunt to the next town north for a little get-a-way, Leavenworth is a pretty magical place.
-Lindsey Yesterday morning, at Argonaut, our friends sprawled out on the patio sharing biscuit breakfast sandwiches, americanos, and doughnuts. It was the final "Bon Voyage!" to a couple friends we have become close to here in Leavenworth. We are so happy for them as their journey moves on towards new adventures working on the trains in Alaska this summer but it is coupled with a sadness that we may never live in the same place again. Tears started to well in my eyes as we hugged them goodbye, a "so long" to Leavenworth.  adventuring with Annapurna + Brenden It got me thinking about all of the lives we interact with and how our lives move in and out of those relationships. Some relationships are only meant for a short time, others a lifetime. Some for a moment- just an order of coffee, others a daily brew. But all of them shape us in one way or another. When we decided to leave Seattle, the hardest part may have been leaving all of our friends. It is difficult to leave. Part of me wanted to stay for them but it was just what we had to do. And after deciding that, staying wouldn’t have been the same either. Change is inevitable. But, I miss those daily conversations, the mundane, that in some ways bring you closer. I miss sharing the little details of friendship.  a "little" detail One of my friends moved to New York almost two years ago. It was a huge choice to pick up and move from a place she loved (and still loves and misses) but she is a writer and had a dream. We've had many conversations about how following your dreams doesn't mean your dreams come true and it doesn't mean it isn't difficult. There are things you just have to do. If we don't do them out of fear of failure or a desire for things to always stay the same, who do we become? Or maybe, a better question is who do we not become?
Sometimes, life begins when we say goodbye. -Lindsey Man, it has been a little while since a real post here. Sorry for that. Lindsey and I have been occupied with projects at the shop (not to mention playing in the mountains on our days off) that we have neglected telling you all about it! Most notable is, on Tuesday while Argonaut was closed, we got a brand new La Marzocco espresso machine delivered and installed. This is so exciting for me because it is going to bring our already perfection-obsessed coffee game up to another level. We can now count on an extremely consistent brew temperature and pressure while preparing drinks. This will mean a more consistent taste and better steamed milk quality even when the summer crowds arrive and we are making hundreds of drinks per day.  The new La Marzocco. Now, no one had told us that our coffee could be better and I am still proud of the drinks we made on the more basic refurbished machine we started with. The problem was that I knew it could be better. And, I have a very strong belief that if I am going to do something, then I have to do it the best that I can.  The La San Marco. We'll miss you old pal!  Bottomless portafilter shots from the La San Marco. My parents taught me this and sometimes even quoted Ecclesiastes: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might." Now, I don't go throwing Bible verses around every day but this one has stuck with me in a big way. One of my best friends and former housemate also taught me a similar lesson with how he threw parties. We decided to get way into legit slow 'n low BBQ. That same day, we sent texts to everyone we knew alerting them to the BBQ bash planned for the next day. I think we even made fliers. Then, we got to digging. We built a 5 foot diameter, brick-lined pit smoker, bought 2 briskets and 3 racks of ribs. The next day, we had some of the best BBQ I have ever had. While I tend to test the waters and make a plan, he goes all in and I love it!
Go big and give it your all. Whatever my occupation, it is very important to me to give it my all. Not only is it good for the craft or service I am providing, but it is also beneficial to my self esteem. I can feel good about the thousands of hours spent perfecting my craft, even if it is "just" food or coffee or whatever, because making something beautiful is always worthwhile. Work doesn't feel nearly as much like "work" when you are giving it a serious go. As business owners, Lindsey and I have the difficult task of being our own critics. We are constantly looking at Argonaut from the outside and asking, "how can this be better?" It is exhausting and stressful but can be incredibly rewarding. I am going to try very hard not to lose the energy and perspective it takes to make my business better. If I ever sit back and say, "Alright, I know it's not perfect but it's good enough." Then, I am no longer being a responsible business owner and don't really deserve to be one. If that ever happens, I hope my friends will tell me and suggest I shape up or find a new line of work. When we opened Argonaut we used the tagline: "Be great at what you do. We do coffee." I am so proud that 9 months later we are holding true to that and continuing to get even better. -Noah 
Noah sipping an americano in Portland a few years ago.
You may have guessed already, but I love food. I also enjoy a good read. Mondays just so happen to be days I spend doing a lot of research on what I’m going to eat next. Since I was already there myself, I thought I'd share some of my favorite food blogs. AND since I am sharing those, I thought I’d throw in some of my favorite food-related books too! So, here are my Monday Muses to inspire you today and hopefully many Mondays to come. Orangette has been one of my favorite blogs for the past few years. Molly Wizenberg also wrote "A Homemade Life," which happens to be one of my favorite food books! The way she blends life and relationships with the simplicity of preparing a meal together is beautiful. Molly Yeh takes a young, fresh approach to baking that I really enjoy. Her blog “my name is yeh,” is so fun and playful. The recipes are legit. We made the Cheeto-Crusted Jalapeno Poppers for the Super Bowl and they were every bit as amazing as they sound! Lucky Peach is always a good time. I love following them on Instagram. Okay, now I’m hungry again. I recently discovered The Vanilla Bean Blog. I really like what she has to say and her photographs are so good. If you are looking for a good food-book, The Gastronomical Me by M.F.K. Fisher changed my life and so did Fresh off the Boat by Eddie Huang. It is also fun to get lost in Huang’s World. Here's to making Monday's more a-musing! Cheers! -Lindsey 
our clever friend, Kevin
This week Argonaut has been testing doughnuts. That's right, DOUGHNUTS. Very soon we will be offering cake doughnuts as a special Sunday treat (by very soon, I mean tomorrow!). You will be able to swing by for one or pre-order them by the dozen! Noah recently reminded me that our second date was spent attempting croissants. A large feat when neither of us had really baked anything before that, that hadn't first come out of a box. Needless to say, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. 
There was an afternoon dedicated to the task, which promptly turned into a couple days... I remember a lot of laughter and even more butter. These goodies didn't really look like much but let me tell you, they were delicious. From then on, I was hooked. Hooked on baking and (maybe) a certain someone. Wink, wink. 
test batch of cinnamon sugar doughnuts
I love baking, in part because it makes people happy. Even just the thought. I don't (necessarily) need to eat the final product- just looking at that little baked treat brings joy. It's that childish grin inside us all- you can't help but smile and think "yum!" 
Let us know if we can provide doughnuts for your Sunday treat or simply stop in and grab one to go.
Cheers! -Lindsey  In Winthrop, at dusk. A week ago, we visited the Blue Star Roastery in Twisp. It was so great to see the place where our beans are handled with such care. Dan, the Roaster, showed us the roasting space and, much to our delight, they happened to be roasting while we were there! He told us about the different beans and how each varietal had to be handled a different way, bringing out the best flavor profile unique to each bean. There is a grace in allowing the bean show its full range of flavor, respecting what it is meant to taste like in the end.  Freshly roasted Sumatra beans. Last night, we had friends from Seattle over for a little BBQ and my friend Erika asked me, “What do you love about having Argonaut in the space that it is in? Compared to if it was in a larger space, like a normal coffee shop.” I think this is a great question! A few years ago, I spent a month in Rome on a study abroad trip. I did a lot of coffee drinking and even more people watching. In Rome, there are many espresso bars where being a Barista is a profession. Fancy Italian Businessmen walk in, order their espressos, sip them (never sitting down) and go back to their jobs. It is not that they are not enjoying their coffee or the experience but, it is meant to be a speedy transaction. One that the Baristas take very seriously. The thing is, this experience is purely about the coffee and nothing else. It isn’t about the conversation it isn’t about the space, it is about espresso. I love Argonaut’s intrinsic connection to this history in that the space is small. Just like Dan, we hope to use Argonaut’s space for what it is and bring out the beauty and purpose of its location. We may not have as long a history in the tradition of espresso, compared to the Italians, but I can assure you I am a Barista for life and the most important thing to me is bringing you delicious espresso.  Coney Island, last April.  The Pinnacles, a few years ago. Happy Wednesday, people!
-Lindsey |
authors ::NOAH + LINDSEY talk Argonaut, food, Leavenworth, life, and adventure 
archives ::
June 2017
categories :: |
RSS Feed
