OUT Baristas and brews The over-caffeinated world of coffee houses and the truth behind the caramel macchiato You roll over and hit the snooze button, finding it ridiculous that you could trust yourself to wake up at 8 a.m. You return to your slumber, hoping to finish your dream and never get out of bed. As you fade in and out of consciousness, you should know that there are people in Lawrence who are already awake. They're called barista and they're helping us all wake up. "We have to be caffeinated before the rest of the world," says Heather Augustine, a barista at Z's Divine Espresso, 1800 E. 23rd St. Morning shifts start at 5:45 a.m., a time when most students don't even consider rolling over to hit the snooze button. And Valerie Baker, a barista at the other Z's Divine Espresso, 10 E. 9th St., often closes the shop around 11 p.m. on weeknights, when Mass Street is dark and vacant. So why rise earlier than the sun and leave after it sets just to grind some beans? For one, there's a huge coffee-drinking TAKE A COFFEE BREAK → Henry's: 11 E.8th St, open 24 hours a day of Life barista. A love of music seems to be a recurring and necessary theme for baristas. Each store has distinctive mixes to satisfy customers and maintain a comfortable upbeat environment. While Augustine answers a drive-thru order at Z's Divine Espresso, "Ob-la-di - Ob-la-da" begins playing. But their playlists have a broad range — from Old 97s and Patti Smith to Cake and Nirvana. Music is also a big part of the atmosphere at Signs of Life, 722 Mass. The shop features live folk music on Tuesday nights, Americana Jams on Wednesday nights and live local bands on Friday nights. The different groups bring in a wide variety of people, says Matt Cisneros, San Juan, Texas junior and Signs House of CHA:21 W. 9th St. Java Break: 17 E,7th St, open 24 hours a day J & S Coffee Co. Inc. 4821 W. 6th St. Being surrounded by pounds of exotic roasts and gallons of specialty coffees adds to the job's appeal. In their down time, baristas get to experiment with syrups and espressos and create new drinks. La Prima Tazza: 638 Massachusetts St. Milton's Coffee: 920 Massachusetts St. Pochi Tea Station 125 E. 10th St. Signs of Life: 722 Massachusetts St. Starbucks: 647 Massachusetts St. population in Lawrence and no two customers are the same. Baker says the job is a strong networking tool that allows her to meet interesting people, a bonus Kaki Baird, San Antonio sophomore, also enjoys. "When I walk around on campus, I see at least 10 people that I [served] the night before," says the Java Break barista. Baristas also get to work in a relaxed atmosphere with easygoing co-workers. It helps to have others sharing the workload, especially when your "office" is full of potential friends and experiences. For instance, over the past several years, Baker and a fellow barista have realized their mutual admiration for musician David Gray and they're planning a trip to see him perform in Texas in March. >2% Divine Espresso: 10 E.9th St., 1800 E. 23rd St. Augustine says the job has helped her create quite an addiction. "Caffeine doesn't even affect me anymore." Augustine says, "I'm pretty sure it's in my pores, actually." Baker can withstand a heavy dose of caffeine. "If I know I'm going out that night, I'll have six shots of espresso," she says of her stimulant of choice — the Rosetta espresso. — the Rosetta espresso. Despite the perks of the job, poor customer etiquette and cranky coworkers mean the cappuccino machine might not be the only thing steaming behind the counter. "If one person's in a bad mood, it can make the whole team grouchy." Augustine says. Lawrence has an assortment of coffee venues to choose from but, regardless of where you end up, appreciate the person behind the counter. And when your head hits the pillow at night, remember that there's a barista somewhere getting asked for a "caramel macchiato." Another pet peeve baristas deal with is when Concocting rare drinks, cooking up food (places like Java Break and Milton's offer a full menu 24 hours a day) and serving customers can be rewarding, but is often underappreciated. "The job's not as relaxing as it looks." Baird says. Baristas want you to appreciate the individuality of each coffee shop and know the lingo. "There's a larger world out there than Starbucks," Cisneros says. customers are unaware of what they want to order (or its correct term) when they finally reach the counter. "The most irritating thing is the people that come in wanting a caramel macchiato – I've been tempted to make an actual caramel macchiato before just to see the look on their face," Baker says, who gets the request often. In reality, a caramel macchiato is a double shot of espresso with a dab of foam. If they got what they asked for, most people would be surprised to see so little in their cup. Since Starbucks to see the term and created their own interpretation of the drink, coffee drinkers usually expect (and should ask for) a vanilla and caramel latte. FAVORITE DRINKS OF THOSE WHO KNOW THEM BEST iced Americano: slow-brewed espresso poured over 4 oz of water and four ice cubes -Kai Baird, of JavaBreak 1 2 Irish Cream Latte: one shot of espresso with milk, topped off with Irish Cream syrup and foam – Matt Cisneros, of Signs of Life 3 Straight Black Coffee -Heather Augustine, of Z's Divine Espresso 4 White Peony Tea: a light, sweet tea that's significantly healthier than other teas -Valerie Baker, of Z's Divine Espresso 02.16.2006 JAYPLAY <11 --- 0210102000 9111 B11 - 20