Posts By Caleb J. Ross

I’ve been asked a few times lately about my infatuation with cigars, specifically regarding my pairing them with reading and writing. Though I will likely be forced to continue defending my obsession, I feel laying it out in a blog post may curb the questions. Or it may rouse a group of like-minded gourmets, in which case, Welcome, Friends! I have never been a cigarette smoker. In fact, growing up, I routinely took a dramatic exit when my mother lit up in the living room (she doesn’t smoke anymore, hasn’t for years). I fanned barely noticeable smoke from my face when entering bars. I vehemently stomped on butts left to smolder on sidewalks and curbs. In short, I was a snobby little punk. The impetus of my cigar habit is a mystery; the staying power, however, is quite explainable. I love the smell. I love watching the large plumes of…

I bring you #2 (heh) of a hopefully long-lived series: Kansas City Reading Coves. When I can, I like my reading retreats like my collection of chained basement mimes: varied and quiet. Today’s cove: Homer's Coffee House – 7126 West 80th Street, Overland Park, KS 66204 Homer’s keeps bringing me back, yet rationally, it should not. The black coffee only is okay; the coffee drinks are adequate at best (they have a powdery, grainy texture); the pastries taste like grandma's...if grandma worked at a Hostess factory; and most of the time the entire building has a gross cat box smell...sorry, cat LITTER smell...to it that can be tough to combat (if the place actually smelled like a cat box, I'd expect more coffee drinking male cats in the crowd). Homer's was originally established as as a ministry of KC Christian Business Men's Connection so consequently it caters to a Christian…