Monday, September 1, 2014

In The Beginning

It's been about a year. Of this show. This show is Mamma Mia!, but that's not terribly important. There were other shows before it and there will be others after it. It's been about four years of touring - of no permanent residence, of snow drifts and sleet, of cold and lonely truck stops with only podcasts to keep you warm. But I'm making it all sound pretty dour. It's also kind of fun. Not as fun as you may imagine. So stop imagining - you're glamorizing my tedious and heart-hardening work. But, I mean, being on tour, you do get to see the world. And that's not bad.

Unless you're like me, riddled with anxiety and an inherent fear of people.

That's kind of bad.
But what makes it better? Coffee. The world loves coffee. And, therefore, I love the world. And after four years of procrastinating (by the way, if you're ever in need, coffee is an excellent enabler of procrastination), I thought I'd start documenting the world as I see it through various local and chain coffee shops.

Let's start with a look back on some of the best coffee shops I never blogged about.

Detroit, MI
I wasn't even a coffee drinker at this point. It was strictly tea for me. And not only did this cute little nook in the Fisher Center, directly across from our theater's box office offer tea by the pot, but they spelled our name (correctly) in the foam. Yeah, that definitely makes your favorite barista's little swirly leaf pattern look like a brick of shit.

Peoria, IL
Sometimes the hunt is fueled solely by a need for wifi and heat. And, often, you'll accept one without the other. Thirty - Thirty gave us our daily dose of hipster charm, as well as a stellar Security Bear that guarded you as you perused your ex's facebook (without even a hint of judgment). I think my second latte of all time was had here. Where was my first? That is lost to the annals of history, friend.


Los Angeles, CA
At this point, I'm a professional coffee drinker (that was fast), and I returned home briefly ready to slam Intelligentsia with the best of them. But my favorite of them all remains Urth Cafe, a brilliant spot to people-watch, mostly for people who desperately want to be seen. LA Pro Tip: walk around with dark glasses and no makeup, looking harried and hassled. You have a 78% chance of being mistaken for a celebrity. Or at least a celebrity's assistant. 


This one place in Philly.
Honestly, I was too hung over to note the name. But god damn it all if they didn't save my life that day.

So here's to another year of this. And let's collect the good with the bad. The snobby pour-overs with the Starbucks (don't pretend that your gold card doesn't have its own special pocket in your wallet). We're off to see the world. And we're gonna need a little fuel to get around with.





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