FredFal Senior Member Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Jacksonville, AR Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Brewtus II (Deuce) Grinder: Mazzer Mini E Type B (E.B.) Roaster: GC (Gene)
Posted Mon Mar 20, 2006, 10:56pm Subject: Google Earth Coffee House Database
As one who travels a lot and who is a geek (not just in coffee), I'd like to know where to get good coffee once I'm at my destination.
I thought it'd be cool to set up a Google Earth database of all the coffee houses that CGs frequent. You can get Google Earth here earth.google.com. It's an amazing program and it's FREE!
Simply add a placemark of coffee houses to frequent (or avoid) and post it on this thread as a .kmz file (right click on the folder that you put them in under "My Places" and click "Save As"). I can periodically compile additions and make a master file (the files are really small - the one below has four placemarks and is 2k -- and yes, I did just offer my efforts to make a master file to keep posted here).
You should include the address, telephone number and, of course, your feelings on the quality of the coffee and the coffee shop. I did a couple and rated them out of 5 stars. That may be useful as well.
You can save other people's posted files and drag and drop them right into Google Earth to view the locations and reviews of the shops.
If a bunch of us put our opinions into this, we may end up with a pretty easy to use database with driving directions and everything.
I'm sure there are some other geeks out there who are also CGs who could add some ideas to make this work better.
pburbridge Senior Member Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 298 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada Expertise: Pro Barista
Espresso: La Marzocco GS3 Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly Drip: Kalita pour over brewer Roaster: I-roast 2
Posted Tue Mar 21, 2006, 7:35am Subject: Re: Gogle Earth Coffee House Database
That is a wicked idea, here is the cafe I just started to work for. So while I may seem biased I only applied here because they are the most quality conscious cafe in Halifax, that I have found. Peter
NYC_Crema Senior Member Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 1,489 Location: New York City Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Miss Silvia Grinder: Mazzer Mini Roaster: Whatever NYC can offer
Posted Wed Mar 22, 2006, 9:03am Subject: Re: Gogle Earth Coffee House Database
Is there a way to denote coffee geeks from your regular person? Any of these databases always gets saturated with your local cafe owner putting his cafe there as "10 out of 10" and eventually you have nothing but free ads.
FredFal Senior Member Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Jacksonville, AR Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Brewtus II (Deuce) Grinder: Mazzer Mini E Type B (E.B.) Roaster: GC (Gene)
Posted Wed Mar 22, 2006, 3:53pm Subject: Re: Google Earth Coffee House Database
NYC Crema,
Good point.
If the list is maintained here on the CG website (that's the only place I plan on posting the file) then only folks who visit the site would be able to provide inputs. You're right, though, if we were to keep this in the Google Earth forum it would be free game and likely to contain ads. Of course, I'm sure there are many CG members who would like to tout their own shops (I see this as a positive). There's nothing keeping them from doing that here.
My plan is to provide a list built by CGs for CGs.
Psyd Senior Member Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 877 Location: MON AZ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Sylvia and Astoria Argenta... Grinder: Rocky and Astoria (Mazzer)...
Posted Thu Mar 23, 2006, 1:26pm Subject: Re: Gogle Earth Coffee House Database
FredFal Said:
Of course, I'm sure there are many CG members who would like to tout their own shops (I see this as a positive). There's nothing keeping them from doing that here.
My guess is that any coffeeshop owner that posts here probably makes good enough coffee that we'd want to visit his shop when we were in his town. Just a guess.
FredFal Senior Member Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 327 Location: Jacksonville, AR Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Brewtus II (Deuce) Grinder: Mazzer Mini E Type B (E.B.) Roaster: GC (Gene)
Posted Sat Mar 25, 2006, 3:04pm Subject: Re: Google Earth Coffee House Database
For ease of use, you can simply post an address and a small review. It's pretty easy for me to add your review to the file. Then you can simply drop the file into Google Earth and peruse.
biochemgawd Senior Member Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 2 Location: Solana Beach Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sun Mar 26, 2006, 6:48am Subject: Re: Gogle Earth Coffee House Database
I registered here just to say..
The google earth idea is an awesome one.. couldn't find any worthwhile espresso in London, ON this week, so at least I could add at least three "avoids" to the list ;-).
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