What’s your favorite locally-roasted bean? I’ve tried three recently myself: old favorite La Colombe as well as new jacks Green Street and ReAnimator. Is it blasphemy to say I prefer La Colombe?

It may be my personal preference, but no matter how much coffee I brew, I just find that La Colombe has a better, rounder flavor than the others.

Am I missing something? Are their local beans that blow your socks off? Drop me a line in the comments.

Yesterday’s visit to the firehouse at 4th and Girard rekindled Charlie’s love of firefighting. He climbed on all the trucks, played with everything he was allowed to touch and he even sprayed me with a firehose.

Don’t believe it? Here’s proof:

Special thanks to Hipster Henry for organizing the outing. Was a great way for Charlie to share his remaining firefighter helmets from his birthday party. We had so much fun playing with friends on the trucks!

• Drove wife and son to be with family in northern Va as they prepared to vacation in, gulp, Corolla, NC this week.
• Watched news at mother-in-law’s house. Wondered if Outer Banks would still exist.
• Slept.
• Drove home to Philly at 6 AM. Caught in traffic twice behind terrible accidents. Wondered if I’d be stuck in traffic for hours both times.
• Upon arriving home, made perfunctory gestures at shoring up basement storage.
• Ate hot dog lunch in a light rain at Memphis Taproom Beer Garden.
• Ratcheted up panic by watching national and local news outlets.
• Didn’t eat dinner. Drank a pitcher of daiquiris instead while watching Bourne Supremacy with friends.
• Hid in bathroom, then basement during tornado watch.
• Fell asleep around midnight.
• Awoke to howling rain at 2:43 am.
• Checked basement and ceilings. Found no leaks.
• Tried falling asleep. Couldn’t.
• Stayed awake until dawn when storm relented.
• Walked over to friend’s house for coffee.

A quick recap:

Charlie keeps a ticket in his hat, just like Daddy.

He likes to walk around, but shouts, “Missing!” when he realizes he’s not watching the game.

He dances to Jimmy Rollins’ at bat music.

He got on the scoreboard again last night.

He REALLY loves baseball.

You know what else the riverwards don’t have? A brewery and pizza spot like Dock Street Brewing Co. Went with Mark and Erin before a Party Photographers’ show at Younglove’s last winter, but had no idea how great it was for lunch. Bought two pies — Flammenkuchen and Florentine — and got a growler of their Summer Session to go. Can’t beat it!

Helen, who tends to hate brewpubs because the food is often oh so bad, really loved it. Win-win! Beats having to convince her to haul out to Iron Hill or Victory for lunch and we can stroll down to Clark Park afterward.

Maybe we’ll be West Philly people yet…

What a great restaurant. Loved the atmosphere, the service, the drinks and the food. Helen and I went exactly twice: first for her 30th birthday and then Valentine’s Day this year. Both meals were probably the best I’ve ever eaten. Always felt that James delivered an amazing food experience without feeling like a Stephen Starr experience, which is to say, great food in a sometimes cartoonish atmosphere. I guess he’s on to something.

Here’s to whatever incarnation the Burke’s dream up next. Whatever it is, I know I’ll eat there.

I know I complain about this all the time, but restauranteurs looking to take advantage of reasonable terms here in Fishtown and beyond: please understand that simply boasting a craft beer selection won’t be enough to lure customers away from their regular haunts. Even bars like Starboard Side offer some nice taps. Want to know how often I go to the Abbaye now that I’m around the corner from Memphis Taproom and Kraftwork? Hell, I don’t even venture as far as Johnny Brenda’s unless I’m going to see a band. Be more creative!

I know most local beer critics revel in this. It’s an embarrassment of riches, to be sure. But I can’t help but think that Philly could really use an enfant terrible in the beer scene. It’s soft and bloated and increasingly self-important. Who will set things straight?

C’mon, denizens of Fishtown! Visit your local library. Check out a book! It’s free and it will make you smarter. And you can hit Kraftwork immediately afterward to reward yourself.

Proof that Philly’s still weird: I met Phillies’ set-up man Ryan Madson at the Troc’s downstairs bar at Yo La Tengo last Thursday night.

He was floored by the band, calling it “pure music,” asking if they were on iTunes and was just an all-around sweet guy. He also shared that his dad played in a band like that in the ’70s. (Ryan, if you ever find this post, can we talk about your dad’s band?)

Me? I played it cool. You see, Ryan Madson is one of just two Phillies that I have a rehearsed story about their career. My Madson moment? 7 relief innings against the Mets. He gave up a homer to Beltran in the 13th, but I told him that he really showed something there. Gutting it out as a struggling young pitcher ain’t easy anywhere, let alone Philly, but he did it. Can’t wait until he’s our closer in 2012.

Yo La Tengo? Predictably great, although the cruel wheel (pictured above) fell on Sounds of Science, Part 2. Ouch. Definitely a “for fans only” set that was a slow burn. They finished with a dazzling second set that blew Ryan Madson’s mind. “Doesn’t it sound like 6 people are on stage?”

My first memory of Cliff Lee is a fond one. Charlie fell asleep on my chest while we laid on the couch, watching Cliff carry a no-hitter through six innings. It was everything skeptical Phillies fans wanted to see in their new stud pitcher. I mean, how many players had we acquired in the past that just didn’t work out? What is Travis Lee up to, after all? Lee’s acquisition showed that the Phillies organization was serious about being a contender and not just a flash in the pan. It was a refreshing change from my youth, when the Phils were routinely a doormat and most Philadelphia teams found uninspiring ways to trade away their top-tier talent for little return.

That was just how we felt when Lee was traded in the 2009 offseason. Three nobodies who aren’t even seen as developing talent that can succeed at the professional level. We may only ever know Tyson Gillies for his run-in with the law last year. It was about money and restocking the farm system, we were told. Seemed an awful way to dispense with a player who single-handedly pitched us back into the ’09 series.

Now it seems the Phillies are atoning for all of Philadelphia’s sports sins. It’s as if Ruben Amaro is making us forget every bad trade and draft pick and free agent acquisition. Makes it easier to forget how Barkley and Schiling exited or how Shawn Bradley arrived. It’s a reassurance that last season was a precursor to the fall. We’re not selling off yet. The Phillies are transforming Philadelphia into a knowledgeable, passionate baseball town like it’s never been before. The Four Horsemen ride!