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yourfriendslimey · 4 years

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Clouds of Cream

Pt. 1

Summary- While taking a day to run weekly errands, you take the time to stop at your local cafe where a certain handsome barista happens to work...

Pairing: Mark Tuan x Reader

Genre: Fluff

author’s note: This part is mostly to establish base story, also later parts will contain sexual themes; however, i COULD also produce watered down versions for those of you who enjoy the story but don’t care for those kinds of things. lemme know. Anyways, enjoy <3

WC: 2342

Part. 1- I Never Got Your Name…

Your eyes pried themselves open as the morning sun snuck into your studio apartment. With a heavy arm, you reached over to the tiny bedside table and grabbed your phone. 8:00 a.m…. You groaned, tossed your phone onto the table and pulled the blanket over your face. It was Saturday, your day off work, so you could in theory sleep in. However, you knew if you didn’t get up now then the To-Do list tacked to the cork board above your desk would go unattended. Plus… You thought, sitting up haggardly…I could stop at the café while I’m out…

You had gone to Downtown Brews for the first time a few months ago with a close friend who swore up and down it had THE best coffee. He was right. Now you were all but addicted. The roasts were divine, and the pastries were nothing to scoff at. And often by chance, you were helped by the same barista who, if you dared to say so, was not too hard on the eyes. The barista…You felt guilty not knowing his name by now. Even though you saw him every time you walked through those doors, you never managed to read his nametag. You were always too…distracted.

You let your feet hang off the bed for a few moments while your mind began to wander. As you stood and made your way to your tiny bathroom, you wondered if he even really noticed you. Of course, he recognized your face. You were there all the time. At the counter, he would give a casual smile and in his cool tone say “Hey, y/n, nice to see you again? The usual?” They took names for orders, so yeah, he knew that too. He knew your regular order because it was well... your regular order. But that didn’t mean he really saw you. The café had a lot of regulars, he probably knew a few orders and names by heart. While brushing your teeth you became even more lost in thought… You leaned close the bathroom mirror, analyzing your face. It was still puffy, showing the aftermath of a late night’s sleep. You frowned a little. Maybe he has a girlfriend. Maybe you just weren’t his type. You fed into your dismay while taking a longer than usual shower.

With fresh breath and a newly showered body, you walked to your closet and pulled out a pair of black skinny jeans, an oversized t-shirt with your college mascot on the front, and a grey dad-hat. You might as well be comfortable while running around all day. You grabbed your backpack and tossed in your phone charger, wallet, and keys. You quickly snatched the list from the board and hurried out the front door before the demon that was procrastination could set in.

You groaned as you walked to the end of the hall, anticipating the journey you had to make down the stairs. The elevator was down and had been for months now. The landlord kept telling you someone would be in to fix it next month, but it seemed like next month never came. Instead, you frustratedly stomped down the stairs, each time cursing past you for wanting to live on the third floor.

The building you lived in was nowhere near fancy. But it was home at least. Unlike the buildings uptown, the lobby wasn’t big and beautiful with potted plants and delicate light fixtures. It was more of an extra wide hallway. The walls presented a sickly grey-green on the upper half, the bottom being slowly warping wood paneling. A large portion of the space was dedicated to old metal mailboxes and contained ceiling lights hanging on their last legs; more than half of them flickering or entirely dead. You decided to check your mail later. You never really got anything anyway.

Outside, you were met with a clear sky and smiling summer sun. A warm breeze danced through the branches and the sweet smell of mature flowers blessed your nose. You felt more energized by the perfection of the day and with newfound eagerness, began your walk to the café. You breathed easily, taking in your surroundings. It was around 9:00 a.m. now and most of the city was already awake. Busy men and women walked as fast as their legs could carry them. Some to their respective jobs and others you presumed, to use the day the same as you; going off to clear a long list of errands. The start of summer vacation also meant children with time to kill. Kids ran up and down the sidewalk, getting what you deemed an early start to their day’s mischief. A couple walked hand in hand, giggling and smiling. You could overhear them mention something about grabbing lunch later and maybe seeing a movie. Seeming them happy together sent you into a vivid daydream.

You saw the barista’s warm smile and kind eyes. You confidently sauntered up to the counter, cool as ice. You flashed a cheeky smile that caught him off-guard. “Hey there, what’ll it be?” he said with a fully flushed face. You leaned in real close and looked him in the eyes. With a stolen velvet tongue, you said “A tall, dark, and handsome…”

The cheesiness of the line snapped you out of your trance with a quiet laugh. Before you knew it, you found yourself standing in front of Downtown Brews. It sat gingerly on the corner, beckoning you inside. The coffee cup logo printed on the glass door a sight for sore eyes Through the large window you noticed that almost every seat was full. No big deal since you just wanted to grab something to eat while you walked. You pulled open the door, a small bell jingling overhead. You placed yourself at the end of the line, grateful that it wasn’t too long. The early morning rush had pretty much passed already. You scanned the peaceful scene. Even though it was full, the loudest noises were the clinking of mugs and forks. It was always like this no matter the time of day.

Downtown Brews had that affect on people. The café created a sanctuary away from the loudness of the city. It had a minimalistic look. Plain golden-brown wooden floors, beautifully simple wooden tables and chairs, and small hanging lights that seemed to float in the room. On each table was a centerpiece containing small purple wildflowers in cute white vases that looked like fine china. The walls were mostly windows, save for the left wall that made contact with that of the bookstore next door and the gray brick wall behind the counter. It was decorated with shelves lined with mugs, glasses, and more white vases with various plants and flowers scattered about. You noticed that every week, there was at least one new one. The owner of the place must have had a real love for flora.

You stood for what felt like ages, listening to some poor young intern order complicated coffees and various treats for what seemed to be an entire office. You anxiously switched your weight from one foot to the other, wondering if maybe today you would order something new. And then you saw him. The man who made your face hot and your head cloudy. He was always here when you were, not that you were going to complain about it. He looked so suave in his uniform. The white shirt, black slacks, and black apron on his waist seemed custom made for his slender frame. How could such simple clothes look so good on someone? Your hands felt clammy and your chest went tight. You hated and adored this feeling all at the same time. Taking a few quiet deep breaths, you set your sights back on the menu, busying your mind with deciding about what to order for breakfast.

You studied him as he switched places with another staff member and prepared his customer’s order. The café had a lovely practice. Whoever took your order would also prepare it. This allowed for a more personal experience that resulted in fewer messed up orders. The baristas took turns instinctually; based off who was the least busy.

You gawked at him, transfixed on his form. You watched as he grabbed a few pastries from the glass case in front of him, slid them into a small toaster oven and began fixing the drinks. Every movement was smooth and graceful. He was like an angel. His face was lit up with a precious smile as he handed over the massive order and with a nod chirped “Here you are! You coworkers better say thank you for this. Hope you have a good day.” The intern gave a rushed “Yes, thank you, you too,” and fixed her gaze on the cardboard trays of drinks stacked onto boxes of patisserie. She shuffled away with a sense of urgency you’d never seen.

The barista’s skin was almost glowing. It looked soft and flawless, almost like it had been airbrushed. But it was all too real. You heart began to race as the last person between you and the counter wandered off. You shook your head lightly, trying to snap yourself back to the now.

“Can I help who’s next, please?” the honey voice flooded your ears.

You nearly stumbled up to the register, eyes barely leaving the chalkboard menu hanging above. Even though you weren’t really looking, you could still feel the warmth of his smile. You met his eyes. “Hey y/n. How’s it going? Medium iced coffee with vanilla creamer, three sugars, and cocoa powder on top, right?” You felt the heat rising in your face.

“Hey, uh yeah. I mean, no.” Your voice was almost imprisoned in your throat, impulse taking over.

“Oh, did I get I get it wrong?” he let out a small chuckle and ran a hand through his beautiful hazelnut curls, “Sorry about that, guess I must be a bit tired if I’m forgetting-“

You didn’t mean to, but you cut him off “Not at all. I just wanna switch it up a bit. Today I think I’ll have a medium iced cold brew with sweet cream and caramel this time. And could I also have a cranberry muffin, please?” you smiled shyly, embarrassed knowing that you were obviously flustered.

He smiled wide and clasped his hands together. “Well I see we’re mixingg things up now,” he giggled quietly while punching your order into the automated screen, “Gotta keep me on my toes somehow.” Damn that smile- you took off your backpack and quickly pulled out your wallet. “Is that for here or to go?” He peered up at you, eyes doe-like. “To go, please.” You choked a little and could have sworn you saw a bit of disappointment in his eyes but passed it off. He told you the total and you handed him the cash. “Alrighty, I’ll have everything ready in about ten minutes.” You nodded and gave a small hum as he gave you your change.

You stepped off to the side and let your eyes follow him as he skillfully crafted your drink. His smile was replaced with a stern look as he focused on his task. You wondered if your mouth was watering from the aroma of coffee and hot muffin awaiting you or something else. Suddenly, it hit you that once again you avoided looking at his name tag. You instinctively avoided looking at one part of him too long. As a child mom had taught you it was rude to stare, and that sentiment stuck with you even now. You chastised yourself. It felt as though after you missed it the first time, it felt impolite to check now. But it was ruder to just not know. You always wanted to ask, but avoided it, thinking he would think you were a moron since he clearly has a nametag on. You silently huffed in frustration and made attempts to get a better look. However, you couldn’t get a clear view. If it wasn’t a machine in your way, it was one of the other baristas, or he was simply moving too much or he was turned away from you. Though you couldn’t deny that you enjoyed looking at his back almost as much as his front.

“Y/n, your order’s ready.” His smile had returned as he stepped up to the pickup area.

He held out a small brown paper bag and your drink. “Here you go. Have a good day, and I’ll see you soon.” His face was warm, his smile genuine. You beamed at him and gently took your things Your heart fluttered. Without even thinking, the words flew from your lips. “I’m sorry, I know I come here all the time, but um…” he leaned forward, placing his hands on the counter, “well I don’ actually know your name and i keep forgetting to ask…And it feels rude to not know since you’re such a good server.” He chuckled, raised an eyebrow and smirked. He shook his head lightly and let it drop to the side. “Tsk tsk tsk. And I thought we were friends.” His smile melted your heart. He stood tall and folded is arms.

You apologized again, telling him you knew he had a nametag on but you always forgot to look and began to ramble about feeling nervous to ask and the whole thing. He gently cut you off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s Mark. And now that you know, you better not forget.” He pointed a playfully stern finger at you. The name rang in your head. This man who occupied so much headspace finally had a name. A beautiful one. At least to you. You grinned, “I won’t, I promise. I’ll see you later, Mark.” You turned to leave and as you did, you were certain his smile had grown bigger and his cheeks pinker.

Mark....

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seecourtneytravel · 6 years

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October 5th and 6th, 2018 (Friday and Saturday)

Cebu, New Friends, Excursions

When I went to bed in the hostel, I just laid down and was still in my day clothes. As mentioned before, some idiot from our 8 bed dorm turned off the AC. Maybe it was too cold but I woke up burning up inside early in the morning.

After the AC was turned back on, I kind of layed in bed for a little bit. I looked up the nearest gym available. For some reason it’s so refreshing to me to go to a gym in a different place. I found they had anytime fitness around the corner and I was pretty much jumping for joy inside because I’m a member back home.

I wasn't really interested in having breakfast first so I left with just my phone and headphones. Anytime fitness was literally around the corner in the top floor of a four story plaza.

I walked in and went to the front desk. I said to the woman working, “hi, I’m an anytime fitness member in the states and don’t have my key fob, can you look me up?” She looked pretty resistant off the hop. She immediately said “sorry, we can’t look you up here. But you can pay 500 pesos for a day or 3000 pesos for the month.” I was taken aback. I told her I am already a member and paid that in the states monthly already. I said, “I’ve gone to anytime fitness in other countries and they could look me up. This is the first time I’ve ever had issue because anytime fitness happens anywhere anytime when you’re a member.” She half ass looked me up when the flag on the search box was still showing the Philippines. It said “not found.” She then asked if I had ID. I showed her my license and passport on my phone. She said it wasn’t enough. I told her to get the manager.

The manager came out and had a disappointed look on his face as he introduced himself. I told him the story and he said “Sorry, but if you don’t have a key fob you can’t come in.” I told him I wasn’t expecting to be near an anytime fitness in the Philippines. He then went back to saying that even foreigners always have their key fob when they come and asked me why I didn’t have mine.

The argument had my blood boiling. I then showed them my bank statement that I just had money withdrawn from my bank account October 1st from the company. They said it still wasn’t proof. Then I said what if I had my dad take a picture of it. The manager said he would need to see a live video. I was thinking you gotta be kidding me.

I called my dad on Facebook messenger and it was already 11pm for him. He got up and looked in my room and found my one set of car keys. I had to inform him he had to go on the hunt for my other set that had a purple key fob on it. I felt bad, I made him look in my car, in my bombed messy room, and it took him a while before he stumbled upon them on my dresser.

I showed them the live video of my dad holding up my keys in the camera. Then they said “well what’s the number on the fob.” I asked my dad and he said needed to find a magnifying glass because the numbers were so small. He hunted all around the garage and found it with some digging. I gave them the number and the 1 hour or so ordeal was done. It was principal I went through that because I’m a paying member. They finally let me workout after all that and I killed a great workout. People probably think, “you’re in the Phillipines why are you stressing over the gym.” I’ve kind of lost my gym mojo since being here. It was like I found my home when I saw their was an air conditioned, non polluted, clean gym to go to. And I had a membership!

After the gym I went back to the hostel where they had some cheap food options. After I ordered I saw Anna. Anna was one of the girls from last night that was sitting in a different group. I asked her what her and her friend Carys were doing for excursions. Anna said she would ask Carys and come back in a few minutes while I was eating.

Anna is from Scotland and Carys is from the U.K. and they just arrived to the Philippines. They are also nomads in their 20’s. Anna’s travel stories are incredible, she has has spent five years working in and out of many countries. It makes me feel like my moments of traveling in a country for a month is the equivalence of me going from NY to Canada for a week. She can actually say she had lived in places like New Zealand and Vietnam.

They came back to the table and Carys was extremely hung over after last nights shinanigans. They both arrived earlier in the day and started drinking many hours before I arrived. Anna and I encouraged Carys to maybe put something in her stomach. She ordered an oatmeal and a smoothie but was unable to touch it. She excused herself to go to the bathroom. When she came out she was all smiles and was much perkier. She was able to take in some of her lunch.

We sat at the outdoor picnic tables for what felt like hours of just talking. Once we decided on a tour I told the front desk. I excused myself from the girls so I could walk around the area we were in and maybe find a nail salon.

After walking for a while, I couldn’t find A nail salon anywhere. I did stumble upon a massage spot. For only 250 pasos, I experienced the most painful foot massage of my life.

I got a message from Carys while I was walking back that they were going to go to a cafe bookstore called “books and brews.” I replied yes and was almost back at the hostel. When I got back they were already ready and we headed out.

We made it to the bookstore through a random restaurant alley. It felt like a New York City speakeasy. I ordered the soup and sandwich with a latte. The other girls also ordered a hot latte. It was funny because we all shared that we were normally all or nothing when it came to having drinks. I typically don’t drink alcohol much at all. It doesn’t interest me to have “one or two beers.” I’d rather have coffee or water. Depending on the crowd, my surroundings, the atmosphere, and most importantly, how conversations are going- all depend if I dip into the “I’ll have a blue moon.”

I urged the ladies I had to go back because I had to use the bathroom and the toilets there didn’t have rims. It would be okay if I just had to pee, but I couldn’t squat for like 5 minutes straight for other duties. Filipinos must have quads of steal.

Also, I was supposed to meet Kevin out later. He said there was a table that Blui reserved. We left the restaurant and I started getting ready. Kevin messaged me he was on his way to pick me up. It was the first time I was in a car in the Philippines that wasn’t a taxi!

Kevin picked me up, he was dressed really well. Made me bummed out that I had a pour selection of clothes. I had to be up and ready BY 4am for the excursion the girls and I were taking. Kevin had a 7AM flight to catch to Manila. We figured it would be a short night.

We arrived to the bar Blui and his friends were supposed to be. I guess they were on Filipino time. After a few drinks, I thought I saw a recognizable face. “Is that the mayor from ABCD beach in Guiuan?” He came out of his vehicle with a woman. Kevin had no idea he would be here and we waved him over. It’s crazy that he also came from an entirely different island and to run into the same face. He also flew out of Tacloban to Cebu.

After an appetizer was ordered, Blui and his guests finally arrive after 11pm. We were all pouring sweat in our outside table while the inside was air conditioning. Everyone was content being outside, I kept having to go inside to use the bathroom but really just to catch the cool air.

Time flew, 4 mojios later it was already 230am. Kevin dropped me off at the hostel where my head literally hit the pillow and in an hours time my alarm went off at 330 to get up for the excursion.

4am whale shark tour

I actually didn’t feel as terrible as I thought. Carys and Anna got in the back of our private transport car and I sat front seat. I wanted to sleep the three and a half hours to the whale shark tour. I have a really hard time sleeping in cars naturally but our driver made it so much worse. He constantly started conversation, and as the front seat passanger I wanted to be polite and talk to him a little.

Constantly, the driver would ask..”So Mam, in your country…” over and over again. With different questions from wages to asking me if I could get him a job as a driver. He then asked me if I knew any mechanics to help get him a job. I said flat out, “I really don’t know, literally go there and apply yourself everywhere.” I had to tell him “okay I’m gonna sleep now. My eyes are closing..” he would say “okay mam you sleep now.”

As I tried to sleep I felt like the guy was intentially speeding up to slam on his breaks. By far the worst driver ever. We were all jolted around the car unnecessarily. It was very frustrating. I would doze off and it’s like he was speed, brake, and swerve at the same time causing my head to bounce off the side door. I would look up in a slight panic and it would be a straight road in front of us. I would give him an annoyed WTF look but didn’t have the balls to say anything. If he became a driver in the states he would lose his license first week. Or run a family over.

We arrive to the whale shark tour at about 8am. It was already packed and we had to wait about 45 minutes until our numbers were called. After we waited we all jumped aboard these boats that would take us maybe 30 yards from the shore line. They had 8 whale sharks they were feeding and allowed us to get out and swim with them but not touching them. It was scary and surreal At the same time. There was a time the biggest one was coming straight at me with its mouth opening and closing like some kind of jaws. I saw him through my snorkel and panicked sloth holding on to one of the balancing bamboo beams. The boat men laughed as I screamed. Turns out, I survived. It was cool because Carys had a go pro and caught some great photos.

After the whale sharks we were able to grab lunch. The girls and I sat down and ordered some food. I noticed the driver was sitting afar not eating. When the food came out I went over and invited him to join us. I scraped half of my food onto his plate which was abou 6 shrimp and a ton of seasoned noodles. He began speaking Waray to the server and she brought out pork and rice for him as well alone with an orange soda. I was a bit confused but I guess he could have managed to order his own and I lost half of my meal for nothing. He shared some rice with me.

It came time to pay for the meal. We all dug for our last dollars and worked on configuring how to pay for the drivers additional add on meals. Afterwards he got up and said “ready?” And had no intention of paying. His meal was the most expensive one to pay for so we were all taken back that he added on to the bill. There was also no thank you in return. It was just a bit awkward.

Kawasan Falls

We then headed to the waterfalls which was another 2 hour drive. The spazzing drive was turning our stomachs. As we were just arriving, Anna said “good because I think I was going to be sick.”

We arrived and it was an obvious path the the falls. We were bombarded by locals demanding money and entrance fee in which we forwarded them to our driver. Our excursion was supposed to include our entrence fee and the driver kept asking us to pay. Our driver disappeared for about 15 minutes and then arrived again with another man. The other man was eager to take our photos and was acting as a “tour guide.” The girls and I caught on that he might expect payment at the end. They all voted me to tell him that we didn’t need a tour guide. I went up to the guy and was pretty blunt. “Hey sir. We don’t need a guide we want to be alone- thanks.” He proceeded forward without responding. We didn’t see him for a bit.

We arrived to the huge heavy flowing light blue waterfalls. It was heavily commercialized with a lot of rules and a lot of areas where you had to pay money if you wanted to do anything. You had to rent a life jacket if you wanted to swim close and had to pay 300 pesos if you wanted a table. We did our own thing and refused both. The other guy returned who started to ask if we wanted our photos taken. We blatenly ignored him and took our own photos of eachother. We kept playing around with the “throw your hair back” photos. water was freezing but amazing.

Once we left we had our tour guide take us to the hostel in Oslob where whale sharks were. We tipped the driver 300 pesos for driving us back. The hostel we arrived to was very basic but beautiful. It was called Salangers hostel. It had at least 16 dorm bunk beds in the one room with us being the only people at the moment.

The first thing that caught our eye was this adorable puppy that was half Dalmatian and half lab. It was the first dog I’ve seen that was actually a pet. What is more heartbreaking is that his name was Buddy. I had a delmation and labordoodle and the labordoodle’s name was Buddy.

The hostel owner gave us a ride to downtown Oslob which was tiny and we as dinner at a pizza shop. We don’t even eat much just craved mango juice and a salad then tricycled back.

When we returned, the Canadian from the hostel 7 in Cebu city was there. He was like “hey Courtney!” I said “Sam!” It’s crazy how I kept running into the same people all around. Sam was from Vancouver Canada and was traveling alone while he is out of work. Where he has already gone is where I’m going. We were kind of on the same path but opposite. He was easy going and comfortable to be around.

Sam sat outside and picked up this cute kitten that was meowing around him. I was so surprised he did that but also happily impressed. The animals are so unpredictable here, were finally in a spot where a puppy and kitten are easy to handle and play with like your common domestic animal in the states.

Just as we were about to head to bed a guy from the Congo came in who was also traveling alone. He spoke French but lived in China. Him and Sam planned the whale sharks the next day.

I chose a bottom bunk and put my ear plugs in and eye covering on. The beds were worse than prison beds and it felt like we were upside down.

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sabrinaleethings · 6 years

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Writer’s Block: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Howdy internet!

I haven’t always been a writer, in fact only within the past few years I’ve started doubling down and taking writing seriously.

I went to college for illustration back in 2015, and it was then I hit my first mental block when it came to artistic inspiration. It sucked! I remember distinctly two separate pieces I had to do where I couldn’t for the life of me get the pencil on my sketchbook, and ended up handing in my assignments late because I couldn’t for the life of me get through whatever artistic block I was struck in.

That leads me to now- artist block and writers block varies from person to person. Sometimes mental health issues like depression or anxiety causes people to avoid writing (or drawing etc.) - and sometimes make it physically impossible get anything done. If you know that this is one of the main factors in keeping you from doing what you want to do, please talk to someone! Seek help from someone you trust, whether it be a friend, your family, or even a doctor!

Now, if there’s more to your story (pun fully intended) and somehow you’re finding yourself stuck in the middle of a scene or a random dialogue, or terrified to write very beginning of your piece, I’ve got a few tips and tricks I use to bust through the mental wall and create some kick-ass products!

Let’s do this!

Let’s Start at the Beginning, shall we?

So, before you’ve even started anything. Let’s say your given a task or you have the itch to write- you know the one where your hands are BEGGING you to type something, or write something, but you just....can’t?

Happens to me all the freaking time. Here’s what I do:

If I sit down somewhere to type or write and my mind is like a huge bowl of pudding, I move my booty.

Sometimes changing your work space, or even the physical location of your body can clear up some of the gunk in your brain.

Instead of sitting in your bed (like I usually do) move to your desk, take a notebook outside on your porch, sit on the couch (with the TV turned off), go to your local library or bookstore, become a hermit in a cafe somewhere- you’d be surprised at how well this works!

Skim through some of your favorite books for inspiration

This gets your brain moving in a “writers” kind-of way!

I like to flip through my Maggie Stiefvater books and read random scenes, or (my favorite) read some poetry (My go-to being “Our Numbered Days” by Neil Hilborn)

Check out some art or fanart from your favorite fandoms or artists!

Now, don’t let this be your excuse to procrastinate and get stuck on tumblr for hours on end (*cough cough* @me)

The key here is to yes, scroll through tumblr artists, instagram drawings, or even your favorite art book, BUT while doing this, let your mind wander. Imagine your own scenes or scenarios in your head while you do so-you’d be surprised how easy it is to clear the clutter in your head when you let yourself zone out and relax!

Now, the ugly sorta trick that I do sometimes (even though it’s gonna sound awful).

Just do it. *Insert Shia LaBeouf*

Put your hand to the paper, put your fingers on the keys, turn on your audio recording device and just bullshit something.

If I’m sitting at my computer with severe mental block about a scene I’m writing, and I can’t seem to break the funk, I just start typing something. Alot of the time it’s a “what would happen if...” and I write it. Usually it begins like a rusty machine, rough and crappy, but once you get your fingers moving and your thoughts begin to just lay themselves down on the paper or on the screen, most of the time your good to go and the mental block is gonzo!

White Space Anxiety

Whatchu talking about, Sabrina? Wellllll have you ever got a new notebook and you just, cant wait to start writing something in it, but suddenly nothing seems worthy to be written down? Have you ever opened a new word or google docs document and suddenly your fingers forgot how to word?

Lots of peeps, (me included) suffer from this type of writer’s anxiety and it prevents us from actually writing anything- total writer’s block!

Whelp let me help with what I’ve found that works:

Skip the first page!

If you got yourself a fancy new leather bound, engraved, blessed journal, or a fresh new staple’s notebook with the fancy cloth cover, just flip past the first page (the one where a bookplate or “title page” would go-) and start from page 2 or on.(If you’re super desperate like me, start five or six pages in!) By doing so, you’re tricking your brain that you’ve already written in said journal and most of the anxiety about making things “perfect” go away!

If your typing on a document, turn the font to like, a hundred!

I sometimes do this if I feel I keep focusing on the quantity of words I’m able to pump out on the first page, rather than what I should be writing.

By super pumping up that font size, you’ll fill the first few pages faster and almost immediately, and the happy hormones in your brain are gonna be like, “yes! you’re writing, good job-keep going!”

Once you’ve written like six or seven pages (maybe more depending if you went for the 150 pt font) reset the size back to normal when you feel like stopping or you feel like you’re on a roll, and voila! You’re on your way to a productive (and self-satisfying) day!

Okay, now that you’ve gotten at least something written and you find yourself in the middle of an idea or scene and suddenly ... dun dun dun You’re mind is drawing a blank. Writer’s block has fully set itself inside your noggin right in the middle of all your hard work, what do you do now!?

Writer’s Block Right in the Dang Middle

It sucks, and it happens.

Sometimes if you’ve been working a lot, and you’re not realizing how exhausted your mind actually is - it can feel like it turns off sometimes.

If you don’t have a strict deadline, and you’ve gotten a bunch done, sometimes taking a break is what you need. It sucks, because I know how much you want to write, but your mental health comes first and you deserve a break too!

Whether you just take a walk, or go grab some wine or juice, give your brain a break!

Do something other than writing- go stimulate other parts of your brain, come back, and see the difference!

Along the same line, if you do indeed have a deadline sneaking up on you and you’ve got yourself a bunch more to do but get stuck, try these things:

Take a short break.

Short meaning don’t spend hours and the rest of your day/night trolling through the internet or lose yourself neck deep in conspiracy theories on YouTube (I feel personally attacked here)

Save your work, get up from your spot, and leave the room if possible.

Leaving your room and physically moving your body, gets your blood pumping again and wakes you up subconsciously and that alone can help!

Drink water. H2O. Agua.

Sometimes, after I’ve been typing for what feels like forever, I don’t realize how much time passes, and suddenly realizes it’s been four hours and I haven’t had anything to eat/drink.

It’s easy to get dehydrated and as living beings on this place called Earth, we need water. Sometimes drinking a big glass of ice-cold refreshing water is just what your body needs to do its job! (Did I make you thirst? Good, drink some water! Take care of yourself!)

If you’re in the middle of a scene and can’t physically put into words what happens next:

Skip the scene!

Don’t stress yourself too badly on it if it’s not coming to you naturally. Move on to the next part in your piece, and start with a fresh idea! (You can always go back after, and finish/include the part you skipped!)

Re-read the last couple paragraphs you’ve written, and change up the last couple sentences (sometimes even paragraphs). Completely re-write them, or get rid of em!

Sometimes a writer’s block in the middle of the scene can quite possibly be your own novel or piece’s way of telling you that you’ve dug yourself into a little bit of a ditch and now you have to climb out of it. Meaning the way you’ve ended things in the previous sentences, don’t allow for a good, fluid transition into the next part of the scene.

Totally re-write the scene or idea that your working on!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve deleted entire pages of crap that I could not continue to write, because I kept getting stuck.

Sometimes after fleshing out a scene or idea so perfectly, things become stale and unable to be continued simply because there’s something, some element or transitioning, just doesn’t work. Taking a great big hypothetical rubber eraser and getting rid of everything might just be the way to go!

More simple things to do if you find yourself with a writer’s block in the middle of your piece

Plan out what you’re going to write.

If you’re a ‘pantser’ (someone who writes without any, or very minimal planning beforehand) sometimes you need to plan your next moves - not only will it allow you to better flesh out your plot, but it can show you possible plot holes that you’re stuck in at the moment. It can also give you a very specific direction to move in if you know what happens next.

Change the music you’re listening to/ put on some tunes if your not!

Google “inspirational quotes for writers” ... trust me on this one.

Go make some food... and then come back quickly after!

*Make sure it isn’t a super carb-heavy or ‘thick’ food- you don’t wanna be sleepy afterwards!

And along with the previous point-brew some coffee or tea!

Curse. Heavily. Outloud.

Of course this all depends where you’re located.

And if you can’t curse, or don’t like to, sing loudly to yourself or yell random things out loud!

Ideas include: “Let it go, LET IT GO...” “I will write this fudgning piece of doo doo even if it kills me! You got this, you lovely, talented writer, JUST DO IT.”

In conclusion to this super long, probably-never-will-be-read-post- writer’s block happens, and it is something that can be overcome if you allow yourself to try something different!

Holy guacamole that was a long one- sorry about that.

Anything I’m missing? What have you tried that has actually worked? Let me know!

2 notes · View notes

lorajackson · 4 years

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Politics and Prose – Chevy Chase

315

5015 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 364-1919

Curbside pick-up will resume tomorrow, and orders can be placed either by phone or online. Pick-ups can be done at any of P&P’s three locations. For those desiring curbside pick-up, select that option at checkout on the web site. Once the order is filled, an e-mail notification will indicate that items are ready for pick-up. Phone hours have now been extended to 11-6 (Tuesday-Sunday), and pick-up hours are from 1-5 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday. Pick-ups at the main (Connecticut Avenue) location will be in the parking lot behind the store – and at their other two locations (The Wharf & Union Market), pick-ups will be in front of the store. More pick-up instructions: Wait for notification that your order is ready for pick-up. Call the phone number of (whichever) store upon your arrival and then your order will be placed on a table. Wear a mask and maintain six feet of distance from others.

I love Politics and Prose. I love books and reading and this bookstore is truly dedicated to that. I also prefer to support independent stores in my community. Politics and Prose has a fantastic selection. The children’s selection is on point, plus they have super cute merchandise. Clearly, the politics/world affairs section is big. They also have a nice cookbook selection. Staff is friendly. I was most recently there for an author talk and signing. I was able to buy the book, “Cool Beans” and have author Joe Yonan sign it. He was in conversation with Pati Jinich, which was great. and Little Sesame (my favorite) had samples for that event. So they do cool things like that. Plus, heading up here gives me a reason to check out restaurants I wouldn’t normally get to, so there’s that bonus as well. Definitely a great D.C. fixture.

A very cool and interesting bookstore. It is very well known. Politics and Prose is the best place to get reading material. Fun activities like social clubs come to meet here. They have books of almost any interest. Bookstores are not as common as they used to be. If you can read something on a pad or phone, why do you need a book? There’s many reasons. If you’re looking for an older book. There’s lots of older books here. It also has lots of newer books. Some people just like actual books, especially if these are classics. There’s also certain benefits to going to bookstores that you can’t get on a screen. At this store they often have visits by famous authors. There always seems to be a book signing. It becomes rarer to find a bookstore. This one always has something interesting to read or see. You can check the calendar to see when a famous author might come to visit.

In the age of online shopping, bookstores are becoming a dying breed (RIP Borders). No need to fret! I’m here to report that Politics and Prose is alive and kicking! This location has the qualities of a quintessential neighborhood bookstore…D.C. homegrown, warm staff, loyal customers, family-friendly, and a cozy coffeehouse to boot. Space is well-organized, roomy, and clean. There’s a plethora of topics to explore and choose from: politics, fiction, nonfiction, history, poetry…the list is endless. Selection in children’s books are second to none. Since whodunits are my jam…I’m usually browsing the mystery section. Found several hard to find Walter Mosley novels (Gone Fishin’, Devil in a Blue Dress, and White Butterfly). Special mention: Looking for a cool and unique gift? You’ll probably find it here. There’s something for all ages…from the quirky magnets and colorful graphic tees to the most adorable baby bibs. Side note: Still living in the Dark Ages and having a hard time finding CD’s? Politics and Prose has you covered! A nice collection of musical genres…jazz, international, classical, folk, and so much more. Pro tips: Stop by The Den in the lower level for a tasty cup of espresso or tea. Also, the Smoked Salmon Toast is out of this world! Interesting tidbit: The delicious smoked salmon comes from the local Ivy City Smokehouse…need I say more? Definitely a fan of this one of a kind bookstore, and that is why I’m giving it five stars!

Classic DC spot. Great for book browsing, especially for political books. Decent cafe downstairs.

Love coming here! Their prices are good, tons of books to choose from, and the downstairs cafe is delightful!

I am a book lover, and this is book heaven! There are a ton of books to choose for every genre. There’s a’ways some great signings and discussions going on here. If you’re looking for book accessories this is also your place to look. Parking is on the street but there’s plenty of it. There’s a cafe called “The Den” below with wine and coffee.

Politics and Prose is an institution – the premier independent bookstore in the DC area. The events they hold almost everyday is proof of their status. Almost every high profile politician on a book tour will come through P&P for an event, in addition to celebrities and popular authors. Below I will mostly focus on the Conn. Ave. store and café, but the P&P brand is strong. The store: It has a fantastic selection, particularly for nonfiction books. When you walk into the store, you are immediately overwhelmed by the floor to ceiling bookshelves. The space is super inviting and it’s set up for perusing. Go to the left first and you’ll find new releases, than work your way around clockwise. I really like the new sale section in the addition. The room is much more open, given that the clearance section used to be in the basement. The new P&P stores by the Wharf and Union Market don’t have sale sections and are major let downs to me, although I can touch more on that in those respective store reviews. Advice to student visitors: sign up for the P&P membership – it’s free! After buying a certain amount of products, you get money off. Overall, I’m always up for a leisurely trip to P&P. The café (The Den): P&P’s The Den, which is located in the basement of the store, is underrated. It has a partnership with Little Red Fox which is a couple storefronts away. The few times I have been here while visiting P&P, I’ve gotten coffee and/or lunch. Both seemed like they were of very high quality. I got an iced latte and a peanut sauce Soba noodle bowl the last time I visited – both were fantastic. It’s difficult to find seating in the Den on the weekends, but usually if you wait around for ten minutes something will show up. Conclusion: P&P is a must visit for someone who wants to get a figurative and literal taste of the city.

I love when a book store (with events) & a cafe are combined! I came here last weekend with my friend who lives a few blocks away and absolutely loved this place and it’s charm. We went to the cafe downstairs and each had the Salvadoran Corn Cake and shared the Ricotta & Fig toast. I had their homemade raspberry iced tea and she had their cold brew. It was just the right amount of food and everything was delicious and fresh. I loved the artwork from locals hung around the shop and the overall vibe of the place. If I lived in the area, this would definitely be somewhere I would frequent!

Great store! It has a good stock of books and is socially conscious as well. A good combo if you ask me! My one issue: I went to the store to buy a copy of “Visions of Jerome” by Jack Kerouac. Jack wrote this book about me when I was a drunken hobo in my youth. I did not find my book, but I found “Visions of Gerard.” Gerard was my understudy in those days as we road the rails. I have no idea why his book is there instead of mine!

Politics & Prose is great! It’s an independent bookstore that offers excellent customer service with a wide selection of books. The bookstore employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. Just a few of the awesome ones are Terry, Nora, Michael, Sly, Jamal, Alecia, Carolyn, Adam, Ellie, and many more. They have member sales with great discounts on books. Downstairs with the children’s section is the cafe, The Den. This place is always busy, but especially on weekends. Most of the baristas are college students (usually American University) who are 18-20. I want to push back against some of the bad reviews directed at customer service. For some of these kids, this is their first job ever. Also, they’re working there because P&P offers a living wage AND benefits that surpass most university health care plans. Yes, they sometimes make mistakes, but if you show them the same courtesy with which you’d like to be treated, they are very kind and accommodating. Honestly, I think the fact that the Den is always a busy and lively place is a testament to the service and awesome atmosphere. A couple things: This is NOT a quiet space. Like almost all coffee shops, the place is full of people on laptops working, on mobile phones, or conversing with friends. It’s still quieter than Tryst, but it’s also much smaller. That’s another thing: even though there are signs saying to give up your seat if you’re not eating or drinking, people will park in their seats for hours. The coffee house turns off the WiFi from 11 am to 2pm on weekdays and has no WiFi on weekends to discourage people from doing this during their busiest times, but it still happens. So just be aware, around lunchtime and on days where there are member sales or well-known authors speaking, there will little to no seating. Lastly, because P&P is an independent business who treats their employees like human beings, there is no forced enthusiasm/forced smiles policy like at Starbucks where you are expected to “genuinely love coffee,” as if forcing your employees to grin like Wal-Mart greeters makes them more efficient baristas. P&P understands that conditions like depression and bipolar disorder can make the “37 pieces of flair” TGI Friday’s approach to customer service difficult. That said, I have never had anyone be unpleasant to me. But I appreciate that P&P lets people have a flat affect without worrying that it might cost them their job. Soon the Den will also have more and better coffee options, plus they have an awesome new coffee manager (Kenia) in charge of quality control for espresso drinks. So be sure to stop in and try some of their blends in the near future!

Any description of this book store by me is eclipsed by the volumes of works found here. When in town, I stop by here just to browse and purchase the newest editions of books that attract my fancy. It attracts an A list of literary personalities and authors. Here you can run into Presidents (the ones who read), poets, authors great and small, and think tank wonks. It is as if the Academy, Académie Française, and Real Academia Español were reduced to English and placed here. This is Washington’s literary Pantheon. Go, revel in it, support it and immerse yourself; you will thank yourself.

Wonderful indie bookstore in an indie bookstore kinda town. We are chasing NYC as the top US indie bookstore destination. Solid State and Kramerbooks are worth supporting, too. There are others. We are lucky also to have a few Barnes and Nobles left in the area. P&P sponsors author talks and has a nice cafe downstairs. They have a membership program w sales and discounts. I ordered a turkey sandwich from the cafe and the fellow preparing it came out to ask me if, since I swore off the pesto mayo, I would like extra avocado to help hold the thing together better. He must have unicorn blood in his veins. This place is America at its best. Pride and meaningfulness.

This is my favorite bookstore in DC! I love the amazing selection of new and classic books, the quirky items, and the events. Many of the books I have purchased here are also signed by the author. The cafe downstairs is lovely – its great to journal, do some work, and read a book.

I am so excited that this bookstore exist! Let it be known that you can still buy books inside of a store… Wait what? Yes that’s right, ladies and gentlemen you can still purchase books inside of a bookstore. While the idea of a bookstore is slowly dying, I for one enjoy being able to pick up a book and skim through it before deciding to purchase it or not. I also really appreciate this bookstore because often authors come in to do Q&A’s along with book signings. The one downside is definitely the location. Parking can be extremely difficult to find. However; once inside the store you will find books on almost every topic you could desire. Cookbooks, religion books, political… Obviously, autobiographies, children’s books, and a bunch of other knickknacks that you never knew you needed but definitely want. This is also a great place to stop if you are in need of a gift. I recommend checking this book store out if you are in the area.

This review is just for their cafe. My friend and I came here to get some work done, but apparently they turn off their WiFi from 12-2 to empty their seats faster. That was unfortunate, since we were there to work on our laptops. As for food, cappuccino was good, but chocolate croissant was amazing!! I’m a sucker for a good flaky pain au chocolat

About a month ago, we went here about 45 minutes before closing for some coffee, a glass of wine, and to have a relaxing conversation. We tried to order an Americano and latte. We were told that the espresso bar “closed at 8:00” so we had to order coffee. The coffee was fine, but we were still perplexed as to how an espresso machine “closes.” The guy behind the counter wasn’t interested in providing much of an explanation or apologizing. We sat down, and about 15 minutes later, the same gentleman yelled “Closing in 30 minutes!” as loud as he possibly could. We were the only people sitting in the store – was not really necessary to yell as though the shop was crowded and needed to be cleared out. Fifteen minutes later, a female employee walked near our table, and about 5-10 feet away from us yelled, “CLOSING IN 15 MINUTES!” It was like something out of a Saturday Night Live sketch. I finished my coffee as fast as I possibly could, spit the grounds back into the cup, then we left. Never returning to this place. Unless that was some sort of candid camera episode or Punk’d, that was truly the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

I enjoy everything about the downstairs cafe except the peanut noodle bowl. YUCK!

This amazing bookstore and coffeehouse is the perfect place to be productive and/or avoid all your problems. With multiple genres of books to choose from and a delicious menu with toast, wine, teas & coffee, etc. Politics & Prose is one of the best bookstores in the D.C. area. I really enjoyed the time that I spent here. The book selection is vast and wonderful. They also have a lot of gadgets, stationary, and gifts that you can purchase for yourself or others. Their coffeehouse- named “The Den” is downstairs; there is plenty of seating, but the seats fill up fast. There is Wi-Fi, but not on the weekends. I think this is a great idea. I ordered two hot chai lattes, traditional grilled cheese sandwich, and a smoked salmon toast. The presentation was just as great as the food I ordered. I definitely recommend this place to others. I will definitely be coming back!

Cute place! Great for studying, they have a good selection of drinks and pastries to eat. Wish there a few more outlets around the cafe.

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Politics and Prose – Chevy Chase published first on http://landofourfathers.com/

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michaelfallcon · 6 years

Text

Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe

In the future—not long from now, surely—each and every telecom data replenishment node will sport a far-out high-end cyber modified coffee experience. But here in 2018 there is Ada’s Discovery Cafe, a first-of-its-kind high-flying collaboration between Seattle local indie Ada’s Technical Books and multinational telecommunications conglomerate AT&T, open now at Broadway and East Thomas.

It’s a match made in Seattle, or at least the Seattle of today, where rising rents and influx of new money tech culture make successful cafe/bookstore/event space/coworking hybrids like Ada’s so very important. Founded in 2010—roughly an eon ago in the Seattle time scheme—Ada’s is the work of Danielle and David Hulton, an enterprising couple with deep connections in the international informations security and cryptoanalysis scenes. David co-founded a leading information security conference, ToorCon, in 1998, and sold his company Pico Computing to a larger technology firm in 2015. Danielle is a Seattle Pacific University graduate in the field of electrical engineering and manages day to day for Ada’s growing team including bookstore, events, co-working, and cafe staff.

Those operations now include Ada’s Discovery Cafe, opened in late September a block from the iconic Broadway strip running north-south through the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Once synonymous with the city’s bohemian music scene and LGBTQ community, not to mention coffee culture, today it’s a neighborhood in flux, with construction everywhere and a rapidly changing social milieu. (Walking to the cafe I passed a gentleman in skin-tight neoprene gym clothes and wraparound sunglasses, hitting his Juul vape and checking his iPhone, balanced atop a Segway MiniPro just so.) The Hultons are ardent advocates for Capitol Hill: they’ve lived here for 15 years and owned a business there for around half that time. “We’re passionate about the neighborhood,” says Danielle, and they see the newly opened Discovery Cafe as a way to further serve it.

I asked Danielle Hulton how it happened in the first place, that Ada’s would come to partner with AT&T, and the story is something like a corporate meet-cute. “They contacted us out of the blue,” she tells me, “and at first our event coordinator met with them—he meets with everyone—but very quickly he realized this was something more.” From there Ada’s had the opportunity to pitch their vision to the team at AT&T, and they swung for the fences. “We pitched this really ambitious concept,” says Hulton, “with coffee robots, super high-end third wave coffee, and a focus on being approachable to customers using storytelling. It was a two-page pitch with a few pictures, and a month later they called us back and said yes.”

Ada’s co-founder Danielle Hulton.

The end result feels fresh, new, highly enterprising, and still very much in the early stages of determining the optimal outcome (as they say in tech, one imagines). The hybrid relationship—is this a cafe? is this an AT&T store? is it both?—was still very much in public beta during our visit, which meant being greeted semi-aggressively by a small team of AT&T staff upon entering the cafe’s east entrance, imploring us to sign up for an app and get a discount on the day’s coffee. The app itself requires multiple intrusive permissions and repeated opt-ins; it also controls multiple massive televisions displaying DirectTV (tuned to Food Network during our visit). The store does offer a hands-off locker program to access AT&T purchases, as well as a self-serve kiosk to purchase further products, so the greeter-led fancy AT&T store vibe is still very much being dialed in. “They’re still learning the neighborhood,” Danielle Hulton offers. “They just want it to be a relaxed space.”

But your coffee purchase—indeed, the totality of your coffee interaction—have not been AT&T app-ified, and it’s very much Ada’s own staff, own menu choices, and own expression of playful, geeky coffee culture on exhibit here at the pop-up. That’s the key compound word here, “pop-up,” as Discovery Cafe is officially a three-year commitment in which Ada’s has complete creative control over the bar space. “We control everything from here”—pointing to the bookshelf, stacked with titles by Ursula Le Guin, Roxane Gay, and Cordelia Fine—”to here,” says Danielle, gesturing to the end of the coffee bar. Over the next three years, one presumes that AT&T’s hopes the space, a kind of ur-millennial New Seattle tech denizen AT&T store on steroids (or rather, nootropics), can make waves and shift units on Capitol Hill. In the meantime, we’ve got a very ambitious little coffee bar to enjoy.

Overseeing the insertion order for said ambition is Cole McBride, the 2018 United States Barista Champion and a career competition barista. The Hulton’s relationship with McBride extends back the better part of a decade, when McBride—in a previous capacity with Seattle’s Visions Espresso coffee supply and consultancy—helped train and set-up the couple’s first coffee bar, at the Ada’s Technical Books flagship store (at 425 15th Ave E, a few blocks straight up the hill). At the new Ada’s Discovery Cafe McBride has been given what appears to be free reign to design a challenging, surprising, playfully geeky take on the coffee bar menu in 2018, chockablock with flourishes from frozen espressos to cocktail riffs like the “Cannon Iced Coffee” made with Scrappy’s lime bitters (an ode to the drink’s creator, Pacific Northwest coffee professional Mike Cannon) to a series of drinks brewed on co-founder David Hulton’s own line of KYOTOBOT robotic coffee brewers.

Cole McBride with KYOTOBOT.

Shots drop into frozen espresso cups.

That frozen espresso? With its Igloo cooler full of billowing dry ice? It works. Made on my visit with Verve Coffee‘s Ethiopia Sakara, the shot offers loads of warm-cold contrast upon first sip (expect an icy lip mark on your cup), melding into a lovely sort of melted chocolate orange thing for the back half of the shot. It’s the drink we tried at Ada’s I could most see myself coming back for, as a civilian coffee enjoyer, to drink for fun on future visits to the neighborhood.

“Cole taught David and I everything we know about coffee,” says Danielle, “and through the years we stayed in touch online and we’ve followed his journey. He’s a really great fit for the space and for what we’re trying to do for accessibility, and we’re excited and proud to have him onboard.”

There’s that word again—accessibility—and so I asked Hulton to help dial it in. The menu at Ada’s Discovery Cafe is a lot of things: exciting, challenging, unabashedly weird, and oddly reverent to the coffee styles of yesteryear, with options like dry and iced cappuccinos and shakeratos. But I’m not sure the word I’d use is “accessible“, or at least not in the same way as, say, the massive hulking Starbucks Reserve store a few blocks down the road, whose presence at five years in now looms over any other new coffee project on the Hill. I feel like David and Danielle Hulton understand the question well.

Ada’s co-founder David Hulton.

“Accessible, in this context, refers to our approach,” Danielle tells me. “We own a technical bookstore, you know, and we want that to be accessible, but we sell books about quantum mechanics! The idea is, this is something anyone can get into, and we will make it really friendly for you without being snobby, and the same thing extends to coffee. The whole point of our brand is to be curious.”

That’s all well and good, and this notion of democratizing specialty coffee for the curious is something we’re hearing more and more of from new cafes around the world. Snobbishness, it turns out, isn’t great for business. Making delicious coffee accessible, however, more assuredly is. Where frozen espressos and siphon robots fit into the equation, I’m not totally sure (quantum mechanics is not my field), but I do know that the menu at Ada’s is unabashedly fun, and frequently surprising, in a kind of “nerds take over the cafeteria” sort of way.

“In the last few days of this soft opening we’ve had executives come in here from AT&T, and they don’t know much about the coffee industry,” Danielle Hulton tells me, by way of example. “One of the executives ordered a latte, and she was just…blown away. I mean, she went out of her way to say it was the best latte she’d ever had. That’s just quality beans and quality milk. No extra flourish, just quality—and that’s cool for me. This space can introduce people who would maybe never go into a third wave shop for what coffee could be.”

“They see the value of what we’re doing as small brand trying to innovate in the coffee scene,” she continues candidly. “They could have easily partnered with someone like Starbucks or Tully’s.”

But they did not, in fact, partner with Tully’s or Starbucks, or any other multi-national coffee conglomerate. Instead, they partnered with Ada’s, a small business whose co-founders seem to be swaddling their new creation into the world like loving parents of a second child, with lots of lessons learned and hopes and dreams for the future and also some quite natural concerns. The interior design vibe, controlled entirely by AT&T, feels like what you’d find in the common room event space of a fancy new condo building. The TV’s are big and garish and have been widely derided by commenters in the local press. The footprint for books and magazines, while well-curated, is far too small—with all that space, and all that expertise from the team at Ada’s, it could easily be expanded to include more titles.

I guess I just want more Ada’s in the Ada’s Discovery Cafe experience at AT&T Lounge, but therein lies the devil’s bargain of big brand/small brand collaboration. It is rarely ever perfect, but it has the capacity to create experiences that get people talking and pique their fascination, and on that front the Ada’s + AT&T project has been a roaring success out the gate. People want to see and experience this thing for themselves, and in today’s ever-crowded new cafe market, that’s saying something.

And so for at least the next three years we get Ada’s Discovery Cafe, which means more dry ice espressos, more highball iced cappuccinos, more coffee cocktail riffs from morning ’til afternoon, and more from our new friend KYOTOBOT. Maybe this really is the future, in which enormous brands partner with tiny brands to help create a version of both for more people to enjoy. Perhaps we, as a society, can requisition further nodes of collaborative dispensation betwixt large corporations (with money and vision) and indie companies (with good ideas/delicious products/etc) so that exciting and interesting things have the backing and platform to capture popular imagination at scale. This is how a lot of great literature and film and music is made, after all—as a collaboration of art and industry.

More good ideas, more tasty coffee, more books, and maybe, you know, if you need it, some more GB for your data plan. This is… not capitalism, exactly, or at least not any sort of zero-sum straight-line version of it. But in 2018 it feels very much like Capitol Hill.

Ada's Discovery Cafe is located at 800 E Thomas St, Seattle. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Jordan Michelman (@suitcasewine) is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network, a contributor to Portland Monthly and Willamette Week, and co-author of The New Rules of Coffee. Read more Jordan Michelman on Sprudge.

The post Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe appeared first on Sprudge.

Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee

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epchapman89 · 6 years

Text

Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe

Ada’s co-founder Danielle Hulton.

Cole McBride with KYOTOBOT.

Shots drop into frozen espresso cups.

Ada’s co-founder David Hulton.

Ada's Discovery Cafe is located at 800 E Thomas St, Seattle. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

The post Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe appeared first on Sprudge.

seen 1st on http://sprudge.com

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mrwilliamcharley · 6 years

Text

Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe

Ada’s co-founder Danielle Hulton.

Cole McBride with KYOTOBOT.

Shots drop into frozen espresso cups.

Ada’s co-founder David Hulton.

Ada's Discovery Cafe is located at 800 E Thomas St, Seattle. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

The post Cell Phones! Robots! Frozen Espresso! At Ada’s Discovery Cafe appeared first on Sprudge.

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americanauthor · 6 years

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Did you know that Andy Warhol, starting in 1973 until his death, filled a cardboard box (basically) a day with “ephemera”? Ephemera is what sophisticated people call the “junk” of other sophisticated people. Andy Warhol filled 612 boxes with junk and it’s kept at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a temperature controlled room where every piece is archived and cataloged. Because, believe it or not, he sometimes stuck a famous signature or doodle from an artist friend in these boxes and that makes them priceless.

They are called “Time Capsules”. This article from the BBC is a fun read with your morning coffee: “The Secrets of Andy Warhol’s Time Capsules”. I learned about the Time Capsules from my trip to Pittsburgh -- Warhol’s hometown. But how did I get to Pittsburgh on a random Wednesday? Good question.

Work sent me to Pittsburgh for 2 days this month for a massive college fair. To say I was not looking forward to going would be an understatement. I always dislike the first trip of the season. I have to remember how to pack a carry-on suitcase again, have to not forget to throw 300 business cards in my purse and somehow always bring the foundation that makes me look like my face didn’t coordinate with my neck that morning.

But, I am also a pretty stubborn optimist so once Sam dropped me at the airport I was able to get on an earlier flight and get the trip going. Which was good, seeing as many flights later in the day were delayed due to the snow on the Pittsburgh side, so blessings for last minute flight changes and flexible schedules.

After landing in the bus with wings, having paid $50 to check my carry-on before boarding the bus to the bus with wings in D.C. and an Uber to Pittsburgh, I was safely ensconced in my hotel room with an afternoon to catch up on emails and stretch my legs. Stretch my legs I did.

I went to a restaurant across the street and had a delicious BBQ chicken pizza that I saved half of -- thankfully, by the way -- because Thursday night I got home from work at 10pm and ate cold pizza in bed in the dark watching a German miniseries on my computer. It was snowing and absolutely amazingly romantic and beautiful in Pittsburgh. I haven’t seen much snow this season, only one or two days of flurries in D.C. so to be back amongst the crisp of snow was like charging my good mood. I was almost off the scales happy. It was almost as peaceful as Paris in August. See? Good things do happen when you put your mind into determination mode that you’re not going to hate something!

Three minutes from the hotel was the Warhol Museum, so for $20 and a free coat check I spent about two hours wandering the museum. It was an interesting way to pass an afternoon -- my only recommendation would be to get the audio-tour, which I did not so I found myself reading the few but informative wall plaques and otherwise shuffling around alone. Not a bad way to spend a day, mind you, just would have been more interesting I imagine with the audio-guide. But to be fair, Warhol’s stuff is sometimes weird enough that you don’t really need to be told what’s going on to get that he was into shock and awe.

This was a big trip for cookies, I would later realize. Here’s my afternoon tea and Pop Art banana from the Warhol Cafe.

When the sun began to set, I headed back to the hotel to get some work done (and start the German miniseries I mentioned earlier!). A student call later, I was across the street at another place, this time a brewery, with a cider and gooey mac & cheese for dinner. I decided to stretch my legs the last little bit before the long day the next day at work, and about two minutes from the hotel met the Alleghany river. Pittsburgh, I was forced to admit, was growing on me. Thank god.

The next morning was up early and out the door by the time the next day I would wake up. I always get up too early on First Days of anything. I got to the convention center, set up and talked to other College Reps there. Then the floodgates opened and teenagers descended. At noon we were let go till our next session at 6:30pm so I made my way downtown in the snow for some Pittsburgh recommendations from friends.

First, I stopped into a bookstore which was warm and cozy but I didn’t leave with anything. Sam and I booked our tickets for the flight to Ireland in August. This has left me with such incredible lack of inspiration to buy anything new that I am considering medication. I, Lizzie Maguire, walked out of a bookstore empty handed.

Next door was the Toonseum, an independent museum for cartoons, which was $6 to visit and I got a personal tour (slow day). The exhibit on was about Wonder Woman so that was fitting and cool to see how Wonder Woman is interpreted in different communities (i.e. by the women of Pittsburgh).

Perhaps the coolest thing I learned while there was that Gloria Steinem was so inspired by the “Golden Age” of Wonder Woman growing up, that when MS Magazine started, Wonder Woman was on the first cover. This is another cool article on the evolution of Wonder Woman, from the Smithsonian: “The Surprising Origin Story of Wonder Woman” (including the MS Magazine cover!)

I of course took pictures of every comic strip for Sam. He would never forgive me.

About ten minutes away was Primanti Bothers, the sandwich recommendation of two friends (passionately) separately. The snowy walk was delightful, even if I was in squad shoes and had to sidestep more than one puddle of slush. Once inside it was a sports bar with games on televisions everywhere for the eye to see. So, I grabbed a seat at the bar and asked the waitress to recommend my first time sandwich. I got pistrami on toasted sourdough -- the unique thing about Primanti Brothers is that they put the cole slaw and fries on the sandwich so when it came out it was basically a feast in two halves. And reader, I did my best.

With only half the day gone and the convention center locked till our evening session, I wandered around before calling the shuttle to bring me home. Once there I brewed a cup of coffee and, if my manager is reading, worked on emails (but let’s just say I made some real damage in that German series). Then it was back to the battle lines for more college fair.

Exhausted, I collapsed into bed that night with my cold pizza and slept solidly till 7:00am Friday morning.

The final day of the college fair was standard. A few hours of conversation with students and then I was changing in the ladies room (jeans are much better for travel than tights) and headed to the airport. Once I got to the airport I ordered a lunch of pirogies and sausage -- delicious, by the way -- and caught up with Dublin before take off.

Sam met me at the airport and we went grocery shopping, catching up on our days apart as we coasted into the weekend. First trip of the season done and if any other is as nice and well blended with work/adventure, I will be happy duckling.

New York City next, next week. For now, a few sweet days at home.

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eugesounds · 7 years

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Phoenix

It’s a pretty nice town. We visited to celebrate my step-daughter’s graduation from Physician Assistant school and decided to build a little vacation around the momentous event. As is the norm, we did a bunch of research before we left, looking for interesting food choices and cool spots to visit. I’m happy to report that Phoenix delivered on all fronts.

We arrived on Wednesday, July 26th and stayed just north of Sky Harbor airport at the Hilton Garden Inn. We checked in and took the train to meet the graduate and her roommate at Postino Wine Cafe in the north west area of the city. It’s a really cool spot serving yummy small plates, Italian sandwiches, and cold beer. If you didn’t already know, it’s HOT in Phoenix, and hottest in July. So after a long day of traveling from Dallas and a decent walk in the heat from the station to the restaurant, a cold beer was certainly welcome.

On Thursday morning we decided to make our way to Matt’s Big Breakfast, it was one the items “not to be missed” in Phoenix. It’s a small, homey, bustling, spot that should definitely be on your list if you’re traveling through town. The thick cut, maple-pepper bacon will change your life. Real ingredients, freshly cooked, the old style diner way,... sublime.

After breakfast we made our way to the Arizona Center, a small touristy area right downtown and close enough to the school so we could meet the graduate on her final lunch break of the semester. I had been to the center years ago with an old colleague and it brought back fond memories of him and the Music Educators National Conference that we attended together.

We poked around downtown for a while and then made our way back to the hotel. I went to the pool to relax a while, and the beautiful Gracie took advantage of the time to grab a nap. The Hilton is nice, a little “out of the way” but quiet and clean with a very friendly staff. Their shuttle service to and from the train station came in handy a number of times and the cucumber, grapefruit, and lemon water in the lobby was a welcome sight just about every time we got back in from the heat.

On Thursday evening we checked off another “must” from the list. Pizzeria Bianco has been featured on the food network and is evidently a favorite of folks like Oprah and Giada DeLaurentiis. It must have been our lucky day as we basically walked in and sat down. It’s a small place, with maybe 12 tables, a giant brick oven in the center, and a 2 to 3 hour wait is evidently, not unusual. The pizza lived up to the hype; with terrific, fresh ingredients, everything in perfect proportion, and a crust that was pretty much perfect. While there, we encountered a really friendly table of folks who were having a great time photo-bombing our pictures. (File that in your memory).

On Friday morning I went on a small “hike” with the grad-to-be and her roommate. The North Mountain is a favorite for locals who want a relatively quick, but steep climb. It took about 30 minutes at a brisk clip to reach the top and it was worth the effort. The early morning temps made it bearable and I hung in there pretty well for an old guy, keeping up with the 20 somethings pretty much step for step. The view from the top was great, with the city below shining in the morning sun, and the distant mountains on all sides awash in blues and browns. It was an unexpected bonus and pleasant surprise added to this trip.

On Friday evening we attended the graduation ceremony and much to the surprise and glee of everyone, our graduate received the Outstanding Scholar Award for finishing tops in her class! She is a great kid who has a bright future and she’s worked super hard to achieve her goals. Afterward we trained out to Tempe and had dinner on Mill Street. It’s a huge college town (Arizona State University) but this area is a bit too grungy (if not downright dirty) for my taste. Dinner at the Mellow Mushroom was fun though and the evening was a nice celebration of our grads accomplishments.

On Saturday afternoon we attended the Real Wild & Woody Beer festival at the Phoenix convention center. It was a comedy of errors that led us there, but in the end we both loved it and had a super time. It’s a Conference and Trade show with 65 of the Southwest’s best craft brewers handing out samples of over 350 beers. I’m not really a “beer guy”, but I must say we had a blast trying lots of crazy ales and sampling some yummy food. The Blueberry Basil Brew was surprisingly good and I had never had pork rinds before (when in Rome?).

As fate would have it, we saw the folks who photo-bombed us at the pizza place! They were actually brewers from THAT Brewery and The Shop Beer Co. so we had a good laugh and more “selfies”. THAT Brewery’s wooden keg aged brew was one of the only ones I had twice, super yummy. We met lots of fun folks (who’s not happy and outgoing at a beer festival?) and really had a great time. Afterward we made our way to another spot on “the list”, the Cafe at Phoenix Public Market.

It’s listed as “a casual urban cafe offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner” but it’s just as much a cool “hang” for those in the know. Almost all of the ingredients are local and served fresh, sourced directly from the adjacent farmer’s market. It’s a “health-focused menu” but it’s not pretentious. The portions are hearty, bread is baked in-house, and the wood rotisserie adds a nice aroma in the place. Gracie and I are still talking about the Rainbow Salad and Cubano sandwich we shared. Again, if you’re in Phoenix, do yourself a solid and check this place out. Get a chocolate chip cookie to go, they’re really super.

After sleeping in a bit on Sunday, we walked to a place called Speedy Street Tacos just around the corner from our hotel. It was pointed out to us by the shuttle driver Nor, on the way in. “There are many locations,” Nor said, “but this one is best. It looks not so good, but it is good”. We decided to give it a try and we’re so glad we did. The stand looks like a run-down, single-family house at best. There’s no seating inside, just a few wooden tables bolted to the ground at which, should you choose, you stand in the shade and eat. When we arrived in the afternoon the cook was tending the outside grills, stoking the “Mezquite” charcoals and turning the beef and chicken like a boss. We decided to try a combo of beef and chicken in 4 tacos and 2 quesadillas... to go. The pico and the red and green salsa/sauces were super fresh, and when we got back to the hotel we enjoyed quite the spread. Nor was right.

After the good eats we hired a Lyft and made our way to another item on the list, Whozitz & Whatzitz about 5 miles north of the hotel. Though it had an amazing amount of goofy curios and trinkets, it was much smaller than I had envisioned and wound up having only slightly more interesting items than what you’d find at a typical beach town or boardwalk shop. On the way out we spotted a “psychic bookstore” in the same plaza and decided to pop in. It was exactly what you’d expect; incense, new-age music, “psychics” giving readings at several tables, and a vast array of crystals and healing potions. I did score a few sticks of nice incense and a great smelling candle though, and it was fun to eavesdrop on the “Madam Marie” readings.

On Sunday evening we met the graduate for one more celebratory meal at Oregano’s, an old fashioned, mom and pop, Italian restaurant. The wait was long, but the food was good and the decor was fun to peruse. Sinatra memorabilia, black and white photos, vintage signs, and old “family” movies on well placed TV’s make the atmosphere very homey, especially for a kid from south Jersey. If you’re looking for hearty portions at decent prices, this is your place.

On Monday morning I took one last dip in the hotel pool as Gracie was packing up to leave. The pool is small but clean and I had it to myself every time I went. After we checked out and stored our luggage we headed to breakfast at a cool place called the Fair Trade Cafe. It’s an eclectic, hippie joint serving good coffee and decent sandwiches close to our next destination, the Heard Museum.

As fate would have it, there was an extensive Frida Kahlo and Diego Garcia exhibit happening and I was happy to have the opportunity to take it in. The show was fantastic with over 30 iconic paintings and 50+ photos of the artists, their friends, and families. It was the perfect cap to a terrific week in Phoenix. Gracie is not a fan of the heat, but she was a real trooper hoofing it all over the city. It’s back to the grind for us now, with a mad dash toward fall and the end of another eventful year. Recharged and ready!

Bunches of pictures posted here:

https://www.instagram.com/eugesounds/

#phoenix

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