Pages Menu
Categories Menu

Posted by on Oct 14, 2012 in Blog, Coffee News, Local Coffeehouse Visit | 0 comments

America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition debuted at CoffeeFest Seattle 2012

Although I spend most of an average day immersed in coffee culture and coffeehouses, CoffeeFest Seattle was the first industry event I have ever attended.  I was surrounded by people who speak my language and share my passion.  It was absolutely invigorating!  Or … maybe that energy came from all the espressos and lattes I sampled while navigating through the rows and rows of exhibitors.

The CoffeeFest is held every four months and rotates between Seattle, Chicago and New York City.  This  event featured the first annual America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, sponsored by DaVinci Gourmet.   According to The Gourmet Retailer, it took 60 days to determine the top coffeehouses in the western U.S. with a “60-day process of elimination by secret shopper evaluation and public vote”.  Eight semifinalist coffeehouses were chosen based on ratings in categories like customer service, drink quality, ambiance, cleanliness, organization and efficiency.

Read More

Posted by on Sep 24, 2012 in Blog, Local Coffeehouse Visit | 0 comments

Cornerstone Coffee, Bremerton WA

 

Dawn is the happy, welcoming barista AND the owner of the light-filled, corner location in downtown Bremerton. It its just a ferry ride away from Seattle across the Puget Sound.

If I understand it correctly, the community has been hit heavily with high unemployment numbers. But you’d never know it, the people are very kind and generous here.

Maybe it because they can get a good cuppa joe at Dawn’s place. Stop in when you’re in town!

Cornerstone Coffee
435 Pacific Avenue
Bremerton, WA 98337
360-479-3334
Read More

Posted by on Sep 15, 2012 in Blog, Local Coffeehouse Visit | 2 comments

Wild-Flour Bakery, Cafe & Espresso, Lead SD

image

This space used to be an Eagles Lodge once upon a time and now is home to a fabulous bakery owned by a mother-daughter team.  Mom was baking in the kitchen and her daughter The space is large enough to house the entire Denver Broncos football team and they have the sweets to satisfy their taste buds.  My favorite was the cinnamon and sugar raised twists …. just like my grandma on my mother’s side used to make at her bakery in Glendale, AZ.

My father, Fred, was raised here in Lead, South Dakota.  I remember when it was a community full of people going places and doing things.  The economy started to slow down when they legalized gambling in Deadwood, its sister town, but it came to a screeching halt when the Homestake Gold Mine closed in 2002.  Now Downtown Lead only gets a few visitors as they are passing through exploring the Black Hills.

This local family took a leap of faith and decided it would be a good time to invest in a business.  And they are not alone.   A block or so down the street is a building that will house a micro-brewery to be started by a family from Oregon.  Then a block from that is the old Masonic Lodge, the one my grandfather and grandmother were members of for decades.

Today is auction day at the Lodge and the streets are lined with cars.  The building and all of its’ belongings were sold to Dakota Plains Auctions as their new primary location for their very successful family business.

As you can see, things are starting to stir again in Lead.   I love that my Dad’s hometown is making a resurgence!

Lovin’  life, Lisa

Read More

Posted by on Sep 10, 2012 in Blog, Coffee News, Local Coffeehouse Visit | 0 comments

Bluebird Cafe, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Andy lives and breathes organics!   He bakes gluten-free delicacies in his on-site kitchen and roasts his single-origin beans with great dare.  His roaster is at a special location where he can

My sister and I shared his Green Chili Quiche with a GF crust to go along with our rich and delicious americanos.  Gotta tell you, that a week later, I STILL desire the taste of the quiche in my mouth … MmmmmMmm!

Toward the back of the space is a large community table with a LARGE coffee  mug, too.  Betcha I could drink that whole thing full of his Silver Sky Coffee!  

Find out more about his coffee at www.SilverSkyCoffee.com

Visit his shop:
Bluebird Cafe
730 Grand Avenue
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(970) 384-2024
Read More