diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 5b2b98f8..42f0f2cc 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,21 @@
 piker
 ------
-Destroy all suits
+Anti-fragile trading gear for hackers, scientists, quants and underpants warriors.
+
+
+Install
+*******
+``piker`` is currently under heavy alpha development and as such should
+be cloned from this repo and hacked on directly.
+
+If you insist on trying to install it (which should work) please do it
+from this GitHub repository::
+
+    pip install git+git://github.com/pikers/piker.git
+
+
+Tech
+****
+``piker`` is an attempt at a pro-grade, next-gen open source toolset
+for trading and financial analysis. As such, it tries to use as much
+cutting edge tech as possible including Python 3.6+ and ``trio``.
diff --git a/piker/brokers/__init__.py b/piker/brokers/__init__.py
index f2c6409c..54afc783 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/__init__.py
@@ -1,27 +1,3 @@
 """
-Broker client-daemons and general back end machinery.
+Broker clients, daemons and general back end machinery.
 """
-import sys
-import trio
-from .questrade import serve_forever
-from ..log import get_console_log
-
-
-def main() -> None:
-    log = get_console_log('INFO', name='questrade')
-    argv = sys.argv[1:]
-
-    refresh_token = None
-    if argv:
-        refresh_token = argv[0]
-
-    # main loop
-    try:
-        client = trio.run(serve_forever, refresh_token)
-    except Exception as err:
-        log.exception(err)
-    else:
-        log.info(
-            f"\nLast refresh_token: {client.access_data['refresh_token']}\n"
-            f"Last access_token: {client.access_data['access_token']}\n"
-        )
diff --git a/piker/brokers/cli.py b/piker/brokers/cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5501633
--- /dev/null
+++ b/piker/brokers/cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+"""
+Console interface to broker client/daemons.
+"""
+from functools import partial
+from importlib import import_module
+
+import click
+import trio
+
+from ..log import get_console_log, colorize_json
+
+
+def run(main, loglevel='info'):
+    log = get_console_log(loglevel)
+
+    # main sandwich
+    try:
+        return trio.run(main)
+    except Exception as err:
+        log.exception(err)
+    finally:
+        log.debug("Exiting piker")
+
+
+@click.group()
+def cli():
+    pass
+
+
+@cli.command()
+@click.option('--broker', default='questrade', help='Broker backend to use')
+@click.option('--loglevel', '-l', default='warning', help='Logging level')
+@click.argument('meth', nargs=1)
+@click.argument('kwargs', nargs=-1)
+def api(meth, kwargs, loglevel, broker):
+    """client for testing broker API methods with pretty printing of output.
+    """
+    log = get_console_log(loglevel)
+    brokermod = import_module('.' + broker, 'piker.brokers')
+
+    _kwargs = {}
+    for kwarg in kwargs:
+        if '=' not in kwarg:
+            log.error(f"kwarg `{kwarg}` must be of form <key>=<value>")
+        else:
+            key, _, value = kwarg.partition('=')
+            _kwargs[key] = value
+
+    data = run(partial(brokermod.api, meth, **_kwargs), loglevel=loglevel)
+    if data:
+        click.echo(colorize_json(data))
+
+
+@cli.command()
+@click.option('--broker', default='questrade', help='Broker backend to use')
+@click.option('--loglevel', '-l', default='info', help='Logging level')
+@click.argument('tickers', nargs=-1)
+def stream(broker, loglevel, tickers):
+    # import broker module daemon entry point
+    bm = import_module('.' + broker, 'piker.brokers')
+    run(
+        partial(bm.serve_forever, [
+            partial(bm.poll_tickers, tickers=tickers)
+        ]),
+        loglevel
+    )
diff --git a/piker/brokers/config.py b/piker/brokers/config.py
index 5d923adf..979e2605 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/config.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/config.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ def load() -> (configparser.ConfigParser, str):
     Create a ``broker.ini`` file if one dne.
     """
     config = configparser.ConfigParser()
-    # mode = 'r' if path.exists(_broker_conf_path) else 'a'
     read = config.read(_broker_conf_path)
     log.debug(f"Read config file {_broker_conf_path}")
     return config, _broker_conf_path
diff --git a/piker/brokers/questrade.py b/piker/brokers/questrade.py
index bdb5e710..3c30efea 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/questrade.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/questrade.py
@@ -1,12 +1,17 @@
 """
 Questrade API backend.
 """
-from . import config
-from ..log import get_logger
-from pprint import pformat
+import inspect
+import json
 import time
+import datetime
+
+import trio
 from async_generator import asynccontextmanager
 
+from . import config
+from ..log import get_logger, colorize_json
+
 # TODO: move to urllib3/requests once supported
 import asks
 asks.init('trio')
@@ -25,50 +30,37 @@ def resproc(
     resp: asks.response_objects.Response,
     return_json: bool = True
 ) -> asks.response_objects.Response:
-    """Raise error on non-200 OK response.
-    """
-    data = resp.json()
-    log.debug(f"Received json contents:\n{pformat(data)}\n")
+    """Process response and return its json content.
 
+    Raise the appropriate error on non-200 OK responses.
+    """
     if not resp.status_code == 200:
         raise QuestradeError(resp.body)
 
+    try:
+        data = resp.json()
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+        log.exception(f"Failed to process {resp}")
+    else:
+        log.debug(f"Received json contents:\n{colorize_json(data)}")
+
     return data if return_json else resp
 
 
-class API:
-    """Questrade API at its finest.
-    """
-    def __init__(self, session: asks.Session):
-        self._sess = session
-
-    async def _request(self, path: str) -> dict:
-        resp = await self._sess.get(path=f'/{path}')
-        return resproc(resp)
-
-    async def accounts(self):
-        return await self._request('accounts')
-
-    async def time(self):
-        return await self._request('time')
-
-
 class Client:
-    """API client suitable for use as a long running broker daemon.
+    """API client suitable for use as a long running broker daemon or
+    for single api requests.
     """
-    def __init__(self, config: dict):
-        sess = self._sess = asks.Session()
-        self.api = API(sess)
-        self.access_data = config
+    def __init__(self, config: 'configparser.ConfigParser'):
+        self._sess = asks.Session()
+        self.api = API(self._sess)
+        self._conf = config
+        self.access_data = {}
         self.user_data = {}
-        self._conf = None  # possibly set in ``from_config`` factory
+        self._apply_config(config)
 
-    @classmethod
-    async def from_config(cls, config):
-        client = cls(dict(config['questrade']))
-        client._conf = config
-        await client.enable_access()
-        return client
+    def _apply_config(self, config):
+        self.access_data = dict(self._conf['questrade'])
 
     async def _new_auth_token(self) -> dict:
         """Request a new api authorization ``refresh_token``.
@@ -89,7 +81,7 @@ class Client:
 
         return data
 
-    async def _prep_sess(self) -> None:
+    def _prep_sess(self) -> None:
         """Fill http session with auth headers and a base url.
         """
         data = self.access_data
@@ -110,30 +102,102 @@ class Client:
         )
         return resp
 
-    async def enable_access(self, force_refresh: bool = False) -> dict:
-        """Acquire new ``refresh_token`` and/or ``access_token`` if necessary.
+    async def ensure_access(self, force_refresh: bool = False) -> dict:
+        """Acquire new ``access_token`` and/or ``refresh_token`` if necessary.
 
-        Only needs to be called if the locally stored ``refresh_token`` has
+        Checks if the locally cached (file system) ``access_token`` has expired
+        (based on a ``expires_at`` time stamp stored in the brokers.ini config)
         expired (normally has a lifetime of 3 days). If ``false is set then
-        refresh the access token instead of using the locally cached version.
+        and refreshs token if necessary using the ``refresh_token``. If the
+        ``refresh_token`` has expired a new one needs to be provided by the
+        user.
         """
         access_token = self.access_data.get('access_token')
         expires = float(self.access_data.get('expires_at', 0))
-        # expired_by = time.time() - float(self.ttl or 0)
-        # if not access_token or (self.ttl is None) or (expires < time.time()):
+        expires_stamp = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(
+            expires).strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
         if not access_token or (expires < time.time()) or force_refresh:
-            log.info(
-                f"Access token {access_token} expired @ {expires}, "
-                "refreshing...")
-            data = await self._new_auth_token()
+            log.info(f"Refreshing access token {access_token} which expired at"
+                     f" {expires_stamp}")
+            try:
+                data = await self._new_auth_token()
+            except QuestradeError as qterr:
+                # likely config ``refresh_token`` is expired
+                if qterr.args[0].decode() == 'Bad Request':
+                    _token_from_user(self._conf)
+                    self._apply_config(self._conf)
+                    data = await self._new_auth_token()
 
             # store absolute token expiry time
             self.access_data['expires_at'] = time.time() + float(
                 data['expires_in'])
+            # write to config on disk
+            write_conf(self)
+        else:
+            log.info(f"\nCurrent access token {access_token} expires at"
+                     f" {expires_stamp}\n")
 
-        await self._prep_sess()
+        self._prep_sess()
         return self.access_data
 
+    async def tickers2ids(self, tickers):
+        """Helper routine that take a sequence of ticker symbols and returns
+        their corresponding QT symbol ids.
+        """
+        data = await self.api.symbols(names=','.join(tickers))
+        symbols2ids = {}
+        for ticker, symbol in zip(tickers, data['symbols']):
+            symbols2ids[symbol['symbol']] = symbol['symbolId']
+
+        return symbols2ids
+
+
+class API:
+    """Questrade API at its finest.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, session: asks.Session):
+        self._sess = session
+
+    async def _request(self, path: str, params=None) -> dict:
+        resp = await self._sess.get(path=f'/{path}', params=params)
+        return resproc(resp)
+
+    async def accounts(self) -> dict:
+        return await self._request('accounts')
+
+    async def time(self) -> dict:
+        return await self._request('time')
+
+    async def markets(self) -> dict:
+        return await self._request('markets')
+
+    async def search(self, prefix: str) -> dict:
+        return await self._request(
+            'symbols/search', params={'prefix': prefix})
+
+    async def symbols(self, ids: str = '', names: str = '') -> dict:
+        log.debug(f"Symbol lookup for {ids}")
+        return await self._request(
+            'symbols', params={'ids': ids, 'names': names})
+
+    async def quotes(self, ids: str) -> dict:
+        return await self._request('markets/quotes', params={'ids': ids})
+
+
+async def token_refresher(client):
+    """Coninually refresh the ``access_token`` near its expiry time.
+    """
+    while True:
+        await trio.sleep(
+            float(client.access_data['expires_at']) - time.time() - .1)
+        await client.ensure_access(force_refresh=True)
+
+
+def _token_from_user(conf: 'configparser.ConfigParser') -> None:
+    # get from user
+    refresh_token = input("Please provide your Questrade access token: ")
+    conf['questrade'] = {'refresh_token': refresh_token}
+
 
 def get_config() -> "configparser.ConfigParser":
     conf, path = config.load()
@@ -141,46 +205,90 @@ def get_config() -> "configparser.ConfigParser":
         not conf['questrade'].get('refresh_token')
     ):
         log.warn(
-            f"No valid `questrade` refresh token could be found in {path}")
-        # get from user
-        refresh_token = input("Please provide your Questrade access token: ")
-        conf['questrade'] = {'refresh_token': refresh_token}
+            f"No valid refresh token could be found in {path}")
+        _token_from_user(conf)
 
     return conf
 
 
-@asynccontextmanager
-async def get_client(refresh_token: str = None) -> Client:
-    """Spawn a broker client.
+def write_conf(client):
+    """Save access creds to config file.
+    """
+    client._conf['questrade'] = client.access_data
+    config.write(client._conf)
 
+
+@asynccontextmanager
+async def get_client() -> Client:
+    """Spawn a broker client.
     """
     conf = get_config()
-    log.debug(f"Loaded questrade config: {conf['questrade']}")
-    log.info("Waiting on api access...")
-    client = await Client.from_config(conf)
+    log.debug(f"Loaded config:\n{colorize_json(dict(conf['questrade']))}")
+    client = Client(conf)
+    await client.ensure_access()
 
     try:
-        try:  # do a test ping to ensure the access token works
-            log.debug("Check time to ensure access token is valid")
+        log.debug("Check time to ensure access token is valid")
+        try:
             await client.api.time()
         except Exception as err:
             # access token is likely no good
             log.warn(f"Access token {client.access_data['access_token']} seems"
                      f" expired, forcing refresh")
-            await client.enable_access(force_refresh=True)
+            await client.ensure_access(force_refresh=True)
             await client.api.time()
 
+        accounts = await client.api.accounts()
+        log.info(f"Available accounts:\n{colorize_json(accounts)}")
         yield client
     finally:
-        # save access creds for next run
-        conf['questrade'] = client.access_data
-        config.write(conf)
+        write_conf(client)
 
 
-async def serve_forever(refresh_token: str = None) -> None:
+async def serve_forever(tasks) -> None:
     """Start up a client and serve until terminated.
     """
-    async with get_client(refresh_token) as client:
+    async with get_client() as client:
         # pretty sure this doesn't work
         # await client._revoke_auth_token()
-        return client
+
+        async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
+            # launch token manager
+            nursery.start_soon(token_refresher, client)
+
+            # launch children
+            for task in tasks:
+                nursery.start_soon(task, client)
+
+
+async def poll_tickers(client, tickers, rate=2):
+    """Auto-poll snap quotes for a sequence of tickers at the given ``rate``
+    per second.
+    """
+    t2ids = await client.tickers2ids(tickers)
+    sleeptime = 1. / rate
+    ids = ','.join(map(str, t2ids.values()))
+
+    while True:  # use an event here to trigger exit?
+        quote_data = await client.api.quotes(ids=ids)
+        await trio.sleep(sleeptime)
+
+
+async def api(methname, **kwargs) -> dict:
+    """Make (proxy) through an api call by name and return its result.
+    """
+    async with get_client() as client:
+        meth = getattr(client.api, methname, None)
+        if meth is None:
+            log.error(f"No api method `{methname}` could be found?")
+            return
+        elif not kwargs:
+            # verify kwargs requirements are met
+            sig = inspect.signature(meth)
+            if sig.parameters:
+                log.error(
+                    f"Argument(s) are required by the `{methname}` method: "
+                    f"{tuple(sig.parameters.keys())}")
+                return
+
+        return await meth(**kwargs)
diff --git a/piker/log.py b/piker/log.py
index 5433d69a..a849dbce 100644
--- a/piker/log.py
+++ b/piker/log.py
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ Log like a forester!
 """
 import sys
 import logging
+import json
 import colorlog
+from pygments import highlight, lexers, formatters
 
 _proj_name = 'piker'
 
@@ -12,7 +14,8 @@ _proj_name = 'piker'
 # (NOTE: we use the '{' format style)
 # Here, `thin_white` is just the laymen's gray.
 LOG_FORMAT = (
-    "{bold_white}{thin_white}{asctime}{reset}"
+    # "{bold_white}{log_color}{asctime}{reset}"
+    "{log_color}{asctime}{reset}"
     " {bold_white}{thin_white}({reset}"
     "{thin_white}{threadName}{reset}{bold_white}{thin_white})"
     " {reset}{log_color}[{reset}{bold_log_color}{levelname}{reset}{log_color}]"
@@ -32,7 +35,7 @@ STD_PALETTE = {
     'ERROR': 'red',
     'WARNING': 'yellow',
     'INFO': 'green',
-    'DEBUG': 'purple',
+    'DEBUG': 'white',
     'TRACE': 'cyan',
     'GARBAGE': 'blue',
 }
@@ -83,3 +86,14 @@ def get_console_log(level: str = None, name: str = None) -> logging.Logger:
         log.addHandler(handler)
 
     return log
+
+
+def colorize_json(data, style='algol_nu'):
+    """Colorize json output using ``pygments``.
+    """
+    formatted_json = json.dumps(data, sort_keys=True, indent=4)
+    return highlight(
+        formatted_json, lexers.JsonLexer(),
+        # likeable styles: algol_nu, tango, monokai
+        formatters.TerminalTrueColorFormatter(style=style)
+    )
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ca2daa3e..59974c6e 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@ setup(
     ],
     entry_points={
         'console_scripts': [
-            'pikerd = piker.brokers:main',
+            'piker = piker.brokers.cli:cli',
         ]
     },
-    install_requires=['click', 'colorlog', 'trio', 'attrs'],
+    install_requires=[
+        'click', 'colorlog', 'trio', 'attrs', 'async_generator',
+        'pygments',
+    ],
     extras_require={
         'questrade': ['asks'],
     },