Off Center Camp - DOWN WITH CURRENCY!

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 10:18 am

I'll lend a hand to anyone who wants to establish an "Off Center Camp" that gifts coffee, tea, and lemonade - it would be situated deep in the city proper, so that it would naturally attract people who actually want to get to know their neighbors - the throngs who gravitate to the one place in town where they can spend money and throw their trash in a public bin are welcome to the real Center Camp.

In fact, if you want to open Off Center Camp up next to us, I'll happily provide camping space, access to our shower, and access to our generator, and we'll supplement your offerings with a few hits of Bailey's and Frangelico for coffee, fresh mint for Moroccan tea, etc - feel free to contact me for more details.

Any takers?

TheMuse · Post by **TheMuse** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 12:15 pm

We are doing a Vampire Bar this year (open only at night of course)... but it could be a good match. Whereabouts will you be placed (in general)?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 5:13 pm

This year (2003) my friends and I started a FREE CHAI REVOLUTION right outside center camp with our chai cart, gifting ice cold chai. We were out there for several hours over the course of several days. The amount of dissenting opinions offered to us totalled about 3 and even those were luke warm "devils advocate" kind of responses.

At any rate, yeah, I would love to help with something like that, but why do we need to set up a theme camp? Why not just bring the stuff right into the middle of the cafe, set up some tables and start gifting?

PS- How do I add pictures to my post? I'll post a few pics of the Chai Revolution. Thanks

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 6:41 pm

TheMuse wrote:We are doing a Vampire Bar this year (open only at night of course)... but it could be a good match. Whereabouts will you be placed (in general)?

We were at Creed and Dubious (5:00) in 2003. For 2004 we hope to be around the same location, and with the same neighbors - Astral Headwash, HeeBeeGeeBee Healers, Elecentricity, Liminal Lounge, Arcadia, etc.

During the day we're a sidewalk bistro with tables, chairs, original artwork on the walls, and live music, so if the Off Center Camp provides the caffeinated beverages, we'll provide the social space - and champagne cocktails for those so inclined.

At night the cafe gives way to a speakeasy and supper club, so it would be a natural if the Off Center Camp transmuted into the Vampire Bar next door. For that matter, we focus entirely on cocktails, so we can likely funnel our red wine donations to the vamptenders each evening.

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 7:24 pm

Chai Guy wrote:At any rate, yeah, I would love to help with something like that, but why do we need to set up a theme camp? Why not just bring the stuff right into the middle of the cafe, set up some tables and start gifting?

It depends on what the ultimate goal is: If the objective is to divert revenue from Center Camp by offering a free alternative, then bringing the coffee to the Cafe is the way to do it. If the objective is to provide an alternative space for people who like socializing and caffeine, but don't like the consumer/spectator vibe of the Cafe, then we have to do it someplace free of the consumer/spectator vibe. I think that both objectives are valid, but the second one is what strikes a chord with me.

That said, it doesn't necessarily have to be a standalone theme camp, so much as having at least a half dozen people (a staff of two at any given time of day) dedicated to making sure that the coffee keeps flowing from morning to sundown - this is why I'm happy to share some of my camp's space and infrastructure, provided there are some folks with the passion to take ownership of the project.

Stormy · Post by **Stormy** » Fri Sep 12, 2003 8:10 pm

Lucifer wrote:I'll lend a hand to anyone who wants to establish an "Off Center Camp" that gifts coffee, tea, and lemonade - it would be situated deep in the city proper, so that it would naturally attract people who actually want to get to know their neighbors - the throngs who gravitate to the one place in town where they can spend money and throw their trash in a public bin are welcome to the real Center Camp.

In fact, if you want to open Off Center Camp up next to us, I'll happily provide camping space, access to our shower, and access to our generator, and we'll supplement your offerings with a few hits of Bailey's and Frangelico for coffee, fresh mint for Moroccan tea, etc.

Any takers?

Adding shots to the coffee and tea sounds like fun. So which poor sap is going to volunteer to make all of that coffee and clean up the coffee grounds.

(Sorry, beware the Stormy Rampage, just got back from happy hour and I'm too looped to go out anywhere. In LA you have to drive everywhere.)

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sun Sep 14, 2003 5:05 pm

wake up and smell the coffee. There are other places than the center. At 8:00 & Reality some fine folks put on morning coffee and healthy munch. That's out side click zone for a lot of you. But I had good "free" morning coffee and good people around me.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:15 pm

this is why I'm happy to share some of my camp's space and infrastructure, provided there are some folks with the passion to take ownership of the project.

I would definitely like to be involved with something like this. I have a huge 100 cup coffee maker that works great. Does your camp have a generator or other power source I could plug it into? Not sure of the amps and stuff but I could find out. Thanks again- Chai Guy

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:19 pm

Another idea: Bring your own grounds to the cafe' and ask the volunteers to brew your cup.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 6:20 pm

Better yet: Bring your own grounds and brew your own fucking cup.

Lucifer · Post by **Lucifer** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 7:25 pm

Chai Guy wrote:I would definitely like to be involved with something like this. I have a huge 100 cup coffee maker that works great. Does your camp have a generator or other power source I could plug it into?

Outstanding! We have a 2000 watt generator that may just handle your coffee maker - if it turns out to be a real watt hog though, I'm sure we can figure something out by 2004. Are you covered in terms of camping space, or should I reserve some for ya?

TheJudge · Post by **TheJudge** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:35 pm

Badger wrote:Better yet: Bring your own grounds and brew your own fucking cup.

Amen to that. I always bring extra coffee to give away to people. This year I'll bring filters as well.

The coolest thing the cafe could do would be to set up a coffeemaker in the ceter of the cafe to allow people the option to brew their own or buy from center camp. Dont know how long it would last before the dust and incompetence took its toll, but it would make a nice feature of the cafe. Better yet, make it artistic. Build a really elaborate system that uses solar power, copper tubing, fire etc.

Hey, how about a still? That probably wouldnt last too long before Johnny Law stepped in, but it would be nice to see out there.

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:03 pm

Lucifer you have giant backgammon! I'm so there!

Good luck with your coffee revolution- I'll bring some locally roasted yummy organic darkness.

Off Center Camp - DOWN WITH CURRENCY!

Off Center Camp - DOWN WITH CURRENCY!

Re: Off Center Camp - DOWN WITH CURRENCY!

morning coffee free

Coffee Maker and Generator

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