Life, Death and the BlueStar

Blue Star recently received a “Best Of” award from City Weekly. We were named “Best Juice Activists” for supporting the SLC Occupy Movement when it was in Pioneer Park with coffee. When I first heard what we won for I thought it was cool, but after I thought about it I thought it was the much more than that…it was defining. As a local business we preach to our customers that they should “Buy Local” and ‘Support Local Business” and what this award showed me is that local is a two way street. Local business can and should support our communities when and how they can, this is the partnership that is missing from corporate and many online businesses. It is a real relationship that goes farther than the cash register.

As for Occupy, I am thankful they showed up for themselves as well as for those of us who could not. I am thankful that they cared enough about what they saw as injustice to actually turn off their computers and televisions and go outside. Outside, on the streets, in the parks where they actually met real people from different walks of life and had real conversations, and had the real experience that so many Americans preach and defend with all their might, but fail to do (or recognize) and respect- they stood up for what they believed…and this is more difficult to do today than any other time in our country’s history.

It does not matter if you are Knicks fan or not, the amazing rise of Jeremy Lin is great to see and hopefully shows that regardless of the odds in anything we do we never know what is coming around the corner. Check it out:

http://www.nba.com/knicks/video/2012/02/26/AllHeDoesIsLinbrollfinal1080mov-2016582

I have personally been involved with and supported the Slamdance Independent Film Festival for the last 14 years. This year, I am proud that Blue Star is the Official Coffee of Slamdance for many reasons but most of all because we believe in the independent spirit and the strength that it takes to follow your own dream. It is not easy to make your own way in life. To create your own ideas, concepts and visions and to shoulder the responsibility of pursuing your passions. Since 1995 Slamdance has encouraged, supported and provided first time filmmakers the forum and the space to do just this and in doing so Slamdance motivates the rest of us to follow our own dreams regardless of what they may be. The Blue Star slogan for the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival is “Fueling the Filmmaker,” but we are equally proud and honored to fuel your dreams as well.

The people who spend time at Blue Star are the best of the best. They are people who are out there living their lives and loving those that are in them. They simply just do not stop by and have a drink or something to eat, each of them seems to leave a mark and help create an energy that is positive, warm and genuine…but it is really those who work there that make Blue Star such an amazing place to spend some time. Ally, Marissa, Roxy, Phil, Andrea, Brady, Matt and Tyson (Wasatch Bike Repair) and even Katherine, Annie and Sam at the Farmer’s market. It is rare to have such an amazing and diverse group of people love and care for each other and their customers so much. Blue Star is so fortunate to have them- next time you are in take a minute and say hello- they would love to meet you and I am sure you would enjoy meeting them as well!

I was riding my bicycle home tonight after spending the last several hours at Blue Star roasting coffee. We just got a our first shipment of raw beans in from a new coffee supplier and we had had a great time trying some new roasts…I am excited to try to the Uganda in the morning! On my ride home I past a guy on a motorcycle waiting at a red-light. I made a mental note that he was wearing his helmet and thought to myself how great it was that people riding on two wheels- motorcycle and bicycle- were wearing helmets. The night was beautiful and I was really enjoying the stars and the warm summer night. Suddenly the guy on the motorcycle came speeding up to my side and shouted “Get a real bike or get off of the street you Queer!”

Haha, I love this country. At least he was wearing a helmet.

It is hard to believe that Blue Star has been juicing at the Canyon Rim location for over 4 years already. It has been a tough and lonely ride at times but we are so happy to have such a great and loyal group of people that appreciate and seek out fresh juice and who bless us with there positive energy and presence on a regular basis. We opened the downtown location this spring and have worked hard to create the same energy and experience that Blue Star has in its original location. It is like starting over so we continue to make changes and learn about our new neighborhood and community. We are happy to be juicing downtown (and serving our own Blue Star roasted coffee) and are excited about adding to the cool and creative vibe of SLC. You can really feel things happening. We are again serving juice to the entertainers, volunteers and workers at the Twilight Concert series at our “Green Room” juice tent behind the stage and we are juicing every Saturday at Farmer’s Market. We have started to visit business around our new neighborhood at Pioneer Park and we are adding a Juice and Coffee delivery service so people who work downtown can order fresh juice straight to their cubes! SLC is evolving and we are excited to be a part of it- hope you people are out there enjoying the beautiful summer. Get outside and ride your bike or take a walk- we have a beautiful city to enjoy.

Blue Star Juice and Coffee invites you to participate in a monthly human rights letter writing campaign. Each month, we will highlight an individual that Amnesty International has designated as a prisoner of conscience. We ask that you stop by Blue Star and pick up the Urgent Action Notice from the front counter that highlights the person that we want to support. Follow the included instructions to write a brief request for the release of the individual.

Bring your letter back to Blue Star by the 20th of each month so Blue Star can send one package containing all our customer letters. Each month you participate you will receive a FREE 8oz house coffee as our way of thanking you for standing up for the rights and well-being of someone you do not know.

“The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen awareness of the interdependence of all these living beings, which are all part of one another, and all involved in one another.”
-Thomas Merton

Flu season is here! From getting flu shots and getting more exercise and sleep, to regularly washing hands and limiting stress, you can do a lot to battle cold and flu bugs to stay healthy — but the easiest way to safeguard your health is to increase your fruit and vegetable intake.

There are many fruits and vegetables to choose from including carrots and oranges that contain large amounts of vitamins A and C and are packed with antioxidants which have the important role of fighting free radicals and protecting the immune system. As cold weather settles in for the winter it is even more important to support your immune system to help fight off seasonal colds and flues as well as the pollution that seeps into the Salt Lake valley.

To meet the daily requirements for flu fighting vitamins and antioxidants the Center for Disease Control recommends two or more cups of fruit or vegetables each day. For example, this can be in the form of one apple and eight large strawberries, or 24 baby carrots or flowerets of broccoli…OR…you can get all the recommended amounts of vitamins and nutrients with fresh juice that tastes great!

Come into Blue Star this week ( Dec 6th – 10th) and get a Large (24 oz) fresh carrot, orange and ginger juice for the price of a small and give your body the nutrients and vitamins that it needs!

How are we supposed to consume the recommended five servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables a day? DRINK THEM!  A diet high in fruits and vegetables will prevent or cure a wide range of ailments from a simple cold and seasonal flu to more life threatening diseases such as cancer. Face it, as the saying goes “none of us are getting out of here alive” but why not leave the planet healthy as we came in? Life is about balance. Exercise your body and you brain and off-set the bad things you eat with good foods like fruits and vegetables.