fresh ground

With the emphasis placed on finding the perfect cup of coffee, we often overlook a crucial aspect of the coffee shop: design. I know that I’m willing to drink a half-decent latte if the at atmosphere is inviting, the chairs are comfortable, and I’m allowed to sit with a laptop for hours without being asked to leave. This blog post from Boston Magazine takes a look at three great shops including Hi-Rise, which I visited for the first time last week. 

Any baristas in the Buffalo area looking for training? Phil Roberts was my trainer at the Thinking Cup, and is the best barista I know. This class would be well worth your time!

Jason Diamond’s piece, “The Barista’s Curse,” rings true to me after two years of explaining that, yes, I have other ambitions in life than making lattes for eight hours a day. Still, I’ve met a number of baristas in my time that aren’t just “slinging coffee to support Ph.D. habits”— people that have chosen to be baristas as a career, not as supplemental income. Those of us that view our time behind the counter as a temporary stepping stone to another career have to respect that, for some, this is a way of life, not a paycheck.