caffee
i rarely make it to work at 9. told in my interview some 2 and a half years ago now, it was make apparent that coming in at 9 wasn't high priority (on my first day, no one was in the office until 9:30), more important was to do my job, the tasks assigned. i do this. to some chagrine at times, but I do this.
since arriving in Chicago, now a little over 3 years ago, I started drinking coffee. never suited me before, but for some reason it made living in the city that much easier. where I currently live there are so many choices for coffee in the morning I find that rather than hitting one shop everyday, it is much more enjoyable to hit a different one everyday. the amazing thing is that this is possible and with very little driving out of my way to do so...or walking, as I like to do when it's not tits ass cold...
Starbucks will be mentioned first to get it out of the way. While most staff is friendly at two convenient locations within a couple blocks of my apartment and work, getting in and out with a Grand Vanilla Latte (Skim Milk) and an orange juice is never easier, though always a little more expensive.
Ritz Tango is by far my favorite cup, but there is only one barista and it is always the same dour barista. more often than note, though, there is no one in the shop so the quick cup is easily gotten and the drink is always better than any other shop (the only times I have been displeased is when it is not the dour barista working...though hats off to the owner as well because when he is in, the cup is just as good). the other great things about Ritz is that they have empenadas. when in need, this is a great stop.
Mercury Cafe is such a warm place that I have forgiven them for booking a Goth meeting at the same time I was trying to do a staged reading. If folks showed up to our event I would have been more upset. I did ask once about Lox on a bagel and the barista (not Alex, the owner) gave me a dumb look and asked what that was. Salmon, I said. Huh? she looked/said. no lox, I'm o.k. with that, but don't know what it is, you need a sign...The coffee is always great and the price is right. Sandwiches are superb for lunch or dinner, always filling.
Swim Cafe needs to get their shit together because they have the most people working there and the slowest turnaround. The food is excellent and the coffee is great, but even when ordering a bagel with cream cheese and lox, it will take about fifteen minutes to receive said order. five folks seem to be working towards something every time I am in the place, but none seem interested in getting the customer's order. I can't fight the cravings for the turkey wrap sometimes, so I make sure I have time before walking in. (And don't ever try to call ahead, they will put you on hold and when you give up and walk over there, the phone will still be on the counter waiting to be picked up again).
Arabia Cafe is a hookah bar/coffeeshop. I haven't partaken in the hookah yet, but the coffee is good and the atmosphere is fine. From my assumption, the owners just moved here. I walked in one day and Seasame Street was on the wall-mounted flat screen TV. there were no kids around. I watched the barista making my coffee and she had one eye on the machine and the other on the TV. You gotta learn the language somehow. it's how I learned. props to Arabia.
Lovely is like a slice of pumpkin bread. it is so quaint and delightful. the only problem I have is that my first visit ended in a terrible cup of coffee. I decided to give it another chance and they redeemed themselves. now, I've been back a few more times and when the need for some baked goods hits me, they got the goods.
Leticias is a bit far from the apartment and work, but on the weekends, Lady Madeline and I like to hit it up for the best Vanilla Lattes in town. like candy. they also have delicious sandwichs and their bagel with cream cheese and lox is yummy.
Flo is more of a breakfast joint (they also have an exceptional lunch and dinner menue). I went in there the other night to get an order to go and they made me a Cafe Latte instead of a Vanilla Latte. it was awesome.
so, that's 8 or 9 coffeeshops in spitting distance. for the coffee lover in me, not too bad a place to be. not mentioned, though, is the diners/breakfast joints. maybe that's a blog for next week (Flo, Hollywood, Windy City, Blue Line, Bialys, etc). whew!
since arriving in Chicago, now a little over 3 years ago, I started drinking coffee. never suited me before, but for some reason it made living in the city that much easier. where I currently live there are so many choices for coffee in the morning I find that rather than hitting one shop everyday, it is much more enjoyable to hit a different one everyday. the amazing thing is that this is possible and with very little driving out of my way to do so...or walking, as I like to do when it's not tits ass cold...
Starbucks will be mentioned first to get it out of the way. While most staff is friendly at two convenient locations within a couple blocks of my apartment and work, getting in and out with a Grand Vanilla Latte (Skim Milk) and an orange juice is never easier, though always a little more expensive.
Ritz Tango is by far my favorite cup, but there is only one barista and it is always the same dour barista. more often than note, though, there is no one in the shop so the quick cup is easily gotten and the drink is always better than any other shop (the only times I have been displeased is when it is not the dour barista working...though hats off to the owner as well because when he is in, the cup is just as good). the other great things about Ritz is that they have empenadas. when in need, this is a great stop.
Mercury Cafe is such a warm place that I have forgiven them for booking a Goth meeting at the same time I was trying to do a staged reading. If folks showed up to our event I would have been more upset. I did ask once about Lox on a bagel and the barista (not Alex, the owner) gave me a dumb look and asked what that was. Salmon, I said. Huh? she looked/said. no lox, I'm o.k. with that, but don't know what it is, you need a sign...The coffee is always great and the price is right. Sandwiches are superb for lunch or dinner, always filling.
Swim Cafe needs to get their shit together because they have the most people working there and the slowest turnaround. The food is excellent and the coffee is great, but even when ordering a bagel with cream cheese and lox, it will take about fifteen minutes to receive said order. five folks seem to be working towards something every time I am in the place, but none seem interested in getting the customer's order. I can't fight the cravings for the turkey wrap sometimes, so I make sure I have time before walking in. (And don't ever try to call ahead, they will put you on hold and when you give up and walk over there, the phone will still be on the counter waiting to be picked up again).
Arabia Cafe is a hookah bar/coffeeshop. I haven't partaken in the hookah yet, but the coffee is good and the atmosphere is fine. From my assumption, the owners just moved here. I walked in one day and Seasame Street was on the wall-mounted flat screen TV. there were no kids around. I watched the barista making my coffee and she had one eye on the machine and the other on the TV. You gotta learn the language somehow. it's how I learned. props to Arabia.
Lovely is like a slice of pumpkin bread. it is so quaint and delightful. the only problem I have is that my first visit ended in a terrible cup of coffee. I decided to give it another chance and they redeemed themselves. now, I've been back a few more times and when the need for some baked goods hits me, they got the goods.
Leticias is a bit far from the apartment and work, but on the weekends, Lady Madeline and I like to hit it up for the best Vanilla Lattes in town. like candy. they also have delicious sandwichs and their bagel with cream cheese and lox is yummy.
Flo is more of a breakfast joint (they also have an exceptional lunch and dinner menue). I went in there the other night to get an order to go and they made me a Cafe Latte instead of a Vanilla Latte. it was awesome.
so, that's 8 or 9 coffeeshops in spitting distance. for the coffee lover in me, not too bad a place to be. not mentioned, though, is the diners/breakfast joints. maybe that's a blog for next week (Flo, Hollywood, Windy City, Blue Line, Bialys, etc). whew!
posted by Joshua Aaron Weinstein at 11:30 AM
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