Tag: coffeelove

How much caffeine?

So I recently found this in a Google search: The Coffee Chain Flat White that Contains More Caffeine than Three Red Bulls.

There are moments in life when something pops up in your results, or your feed, and you have to make a decision–Do I really want to know? Should I click?

Well, I clicked on it.

Short answer: Costa Coffee.

Immediate reaction: Thank goodness I don’t have any near me, and I actually have never been. Now I know.

Next thought: Should I look up my caffeine intake?

I normally have my coffee in the morning; as stated in the article, caffeine intake should be monitored for the purposes of sleep. My caffeine will have left my system by bedtime if I just drink it in the morning.

I don’t drink energy drinks, tea, or soda. I normally have one big cup of coffee at home, or a fancy drink somewhere else. I’m really not ingesting caffeine outside of coffee.

I’m going to go ahead and keep my fingers crossed that my caffeine intake is a healthy dosage. However, if I ever make it to Costa, I’m definitely skipping their flat white!! Unless, I need it. 😉 😂

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What to look for . . .

I was recently asked what’s important to me when I go to a coffee shop. Obviously, great coffee is #1, but what else do I regularly note, observe, or look for?

Here are some things I note on my visits:

  • location (what is it close to, what can you do before or after your cup)
  • customer service
  • seating arrangement/options
  • food/food choices
  • milk options (not all of us can handle dairy)
  • plug situation (so many of us go with devices, or go to work, so plugs are important)
  • clean restrooms (we are drinking coffee, we may need to use the bathroom)
  • parking situation (I’m originally from southern California, parking is important)

This is not everything, but these are the most direct and most common range of things I think about when writing and reviewing a place.

As I started this process, I realized that finding a small business, a local gem, meant sticking to a predetermined set of criteria as well as noting the peculiarities of a single place–what makes them particularly interesting or unique–like the abundance of seasonal drinks, the option to exchange books, or the chance to play board games. I’m sure as I continue researching and writing, as I grow as a coffee drinker and writer, I will expand and change my considerations, but for now this is it.

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Taken at Sunrise Coffee House in Las Vegas, Nevada
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Italy: to-go

Recently I posted a brief summary on some of the differences between the US and Italy as it pertains to coffee, and coffee culture.

Now, sometimes you notice things right away, and sometimes you don’t realize things until much later. This is a much later realization:

No need for a to-go cup.

The quick espresso, the quick shot of coffee, is a momentary event. It’s served, you may or may not add sugar, you chug it, you leave the bar. That’s it.

Since it’s a brief stop, there’s no need for a to-go cup.

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I was standing at the bar waiting for my drink, hearing all the glass clinking, enjoying the sounds–I don’t know why but I like the hustle and bustle noise–when it dawned on me: there’s no paper or plastic anywhere.

In fact, once it hit me, I instantly started looking around for any sign of paper cups. Nothing. I looked for cardboard sleeves, wooden stirrers, drink stoppers, and everything else associated with a cup of coffee to-go. Surely, I was mistaken. But there was nothing.

Three weeks into my Italian stay, I started backtracking to every bar and restaurant, had I seen a to-go cup–anywhere? From this moment on, I started looking for signs of a coffee to-go. Any signs, any options, any markings for a to-go option; I looked everywhere. After 6 weeks in Italy, I recall one in Rome, which I attribute to the abundance of tourists, and I found one in Bassano del Grappa. Nothing in all my other travels (Galliera Veneta, Castelfranco, Vicenza, Cittadella, Treviso, Padua, Venice, Verona, Asolo).

Italians may drink a lot of coffee, but they’re not producing nearly as much paper and plastic waste with their caffeinated habit–not as much as we do in the States. It’s pretty amazing and quite the contrast, and while I love the idea and the concept of it all, I sure do miss my big American cup to-go. I miss being able to savor some added almond milk and flavor in the morning. 😉 ☕ So, it’s great for the environment, and I definitely appreciate it, but I’m not a complete convert. For now, it’s just another difference to note. 😊

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French and Swiss Prelude

Ciao tutti!

After nearly 6 weeks in Italy, I’m preparing to leave this beautiful place, and see some more beautiful places!

I have a scheduled trip to Paris, France and Zurich, Switzerland. Thanks to friends, superb deals, and seizing opportunities, I am thrilled to be able to explore, hunt, search, and discover more places to enjoy and share with you.

I can state with certainty and pride that I am going global.

Be on the lookout for great pictures on Instagram, and *fingers crossed* great discoveries in each of these places!

 

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Favorite K-Cups

I don’t know about anyone else, but I go through phases in my cravings and daily tastes, especially when it comes to coffee. So this list is not exhaustive, it’s just the first list 😉

In no particular order, some of my favorite K-cups are:

  • Starbucks Holiday blend
  • Starbucks Christmas Blend
  • Newman’s Own Organic Special Blend Medium Roast Coffee Extra Bold
  • Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic
  • Gloria Jean’s Hazelnut Coffee
  • Kauai Coffee Na’Pali Coast Dark Roast
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November 29, 2018: Quote of the Day

“I know many people have said it before, but there is nothing a cup of coffee and a new pair of shoes can’t fix!”

–Marissa Jaret Winokur

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I feel like this is the most perfect quote for me, in Italy–a coffee and fashion powerhouse. Yes, coffee and shoes are definitely the answer! 😀

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