Every Chain Needs a Charm

Coffee shop visited: Starbucks

Location: Blakeney shopping center, Charlotte NC

Drink ordered: Cinnamon Dolce Latte (no special adjectives this time)

Yes, I caved. Starbucks and I go way back, and today was one of those days that I just needed something I'm familiar with. I love love love the cinnamon dolce latte at Starbucks. Not many independent coffee shops can offer me a cinnamon type of drink because they have limited syrups. Sometimes, a girl just needs some cinnamon in her coffee.

Customer service was good. Atmosphere was classic for their chain: earthy colors, modern styled furniture and art. I just got my coffee to go, so atmosphere wasn't high on my agenda.

Charcoal clouds releasing a deluge outside twelve divided panels of glass, espresso and cinnamon waltzing in my tummy.

Starbucks!

Julia (without Julie)

Coffee shop visited: Julia's Coffee

Location: Charlotte, NC

Drink ordered: vanilla dry cappuccino (trying to keep the trend)

I would say my experience was good as far as customer service and quality of drink goes, but it wasn't a "dry" cappuccino. I seem to throw quite the curve ball when I specialize my request with that particular adjective.

The shop itself is actually a part of Habitat for Humanity. Julia's is also a book store and donation center for books! Literature is another love of mine (please don't tell Joe, our affair is hush hush).

After I snatched up my drink and glanced over a couple enticing titles of discounted adventures, I strolled through the Re Store. Thrifting happens to be one of my talents. I didn't purchase anything, though there was plenty to catch my eye.

Just another delightful date with Joe.

Check out Julia's site:

http://www.juliascoffee.org/

Phoebe's Inspiration

Coffee shop visited today: Smelly Cat Coffeehouse.

Located: NoDa Charlotte, NC

Coffee ordered: small dry vanilla cappuccino.

Customer service: very friendly (though the term "dry" seemed foreign).

The barista did a great job of providing all the foam a girl could ask for. I wish I had gotten an extra shot because it wasn't as strong as I would've preferred it, but I'm going to go ahead and deem that as my fault, not theirs.

Though their coffee is good, it's their atmosphere that I love. They have one of the best set ups for seating I have seen in a quaint coffee shop. They've made stalls of old chipping doors along either wall. Local art displayed in every unused space. The brick of the building is the interior's walls as much as outside. They even have multi-colored rocking chairs! The whole shop immediately creates that feeling of full, not cluttered.

If you're in the area, I would definitely check them out! Joe and I will definitely meet at Smelly Cat again.

http://www.smellycatcoffee.com/

Simply Because We're in Love

I decided to start documenting the love affair between myself and coffee. And this is it. I plan to record critiques of different coffee shops. Hopefully including pictures whenever I can manage to take one or two, and of course the ups and downs of that coffee establishment.

Every once in a while I'll include sweet nothings between Joe and me.

Sweet Nothing #1:

Over the rim they fall, some farther than others. Over the same rim, they dry, imprinting their fruitless race against a white glass surface. In the right light you can catch the reflection of a blank sheet of paper. In the air you can hear a sneeze followed by an unspoken "God bless you." Peering over the rim I notice the drop that couldn't make it to the starting dive, left alone to finish. Doomed to captivity, it waits. Losing its warmth and anticipating the glossy desert that is sure to rob any remaining hydration. Ah-hah, why didn't I think of this before? I still have a free refill.