Monday, January 30, 2012

Macys and Coffee





















Getting through a cold winter calls for the pursuit of pleasures, mostly in the form of coffee and treats. Lo and behold, in the midst of my temporary stay in the non-civilized world, I came across my now-beloved Macys Coffee. But let me be clear: it is not, as my daughter thought, Macy's department store with a coffee bar. This is a rare treat altogether.


Nestled high in the mountain town of Flagstaff, Macys hearkens to European style coffeehouses. Entering into the store, clunking across the old rickety boards, the shop looks much like it may have if it were around 100 years ago. The place is often a mix of tourists, students, and browsers. And the coffee is worth the one-hour drive from Sedona.


Wintertime requires special care of one's soul and perspective. It is too easy to get lost in the day-to-day, or to forget that some folks get the winter blues, AKA seasonal affective disorder. Good self care begins with knowing how to find out what lights up for you in this life, so that it can be enjoyed....yes...even in winter. I encourage you to ponder of this topic of what pleases you, makes you happy, nourishes your soul.


For those in the area, I highly recommend the chocolate espresso croissants with a cup of Americano.


Sunday, January 15, 2012

Hello 2012!

























So, my last blog was about my re-commitment to write more in this blog. Right. About that. I was apparently distracted. New Year, new beginnings. And it's time to share, people! And what could be more important as a subject matter than GOOD COFFEE?!

Living in Tucson in the past, I discovered the much-revered Cartel Lab as a coffee source. What made this spot unique was not just that the coffee was high-quality, but that each cup was made individually, just for you. Imagine my joy to discover another Cartel Lab, this time located in Tempe!

On the edge of Universityland, aka ASU, near Mill Avenue, and carefully tucked away behind the liquor store at Ash and University, you have to be actually looking for this place to find it. And I mean looking...hard. It's quite incognito with a very tiny sign to surreptitiously mark it's identity. Either that or look for people that look blissed-out and are carrying unmarked cups of what could be java. The vibe is trendy and supports creativity



If you go there, I highly recommend the coffee.