Church Street Coffee and Books in Birmingham, Alabama

Well we met Michael’s brother at Church Street Coffee and Books.  This coffee shop/book nook was still a hot spot for Samford students studying for finals although it is about a 10-minute drive from campus.

They had numerous bookshelves filled with various reading material and a large seating area with armchairs and tables plus an outdoor patio.  There was even a children’s section filled with beanbags set slightly apart from the café area.  The coffee was strong but more a little acidic than I like.  Michael got a “break up cookie” which is a giant chocolate chip cookie.  It was really gooey although it hadn’t been heated and Michael said it was the best cookie he’s ever had…but I think he just says that about every pastry.

So both these coffee places were cute and fun and I would definitely go here to either hang out or study but reviewing them is definitely not the same without Caroline Eaton; I hope to see some more posts on Texas coffee from her though before we reunite in August.

Crescent City Coffee in Ruston, Louisiana

So after Caroline E. and I parted ways on the 5^th of May, I flew to meet my friend Michael and spend time with him at TCU.  Decked out in our matching car trip shirts, we began our trip back home to Tennessee.  Michael, although he hates coffee, has offered to let me take two coffee stops on the way back home.

Our first stop was at small shop in Ruston, Louisiana called Crescent City Coffee.  It’s right off the highway but still somewhat hidden between a tobacco shop and an insurance firm.  The inside was quiet and low lit with customers of different ages studying, working and just talking.  The coffee was very bold and flavorful and according to Michael, the cinnamon roll was the best he has ever eaten.

So Crescent City Coffee was a success and a good way to begin our road trip back to Tennessee.  We plan to stop in Alabama to meet Michael’s brother for coffee so I’ll be back soon with a review on Church Street Coffee and Books.

Tea house & Coffee in Sugar Land, Texas

As our last coffee trip together until August, we visited a shop called Teahouse and Coffee in Caroline E.'s hometown. This little shop is slightly hidden and over looked because it is right across from a drive thru Starbucks, but their gourmet coffee is so far the best we've had.

The atmosphere is relaxed with an asian influence. The shelf full of video and board games proves that it's not so much for studying as it is for social interactions.

Sad to separate

The shop is more known for their tapioca tea's rather than coffee, but they still make a good columbian brew. If you're looking for something more original than Starbucks, this shop is the way to go.

Well friends, the time has come for the Caroline's to separate for the summer. We're not happy about it at all. We'll try to keep the blog going as best as we can separated, but we'll definitely be back in the fall with more coffee adventures. Thanks for following us so far, and we hope you have a great summer!

Frappuccino Happy Hour!

Today we broke a rule and went to Starbucks...but for frappucino happy hour.  Caroline E. enjoyed a green tea frappucino with raspberry and Caroline K. had a java chip frappucino.

Tomorrow morning we are planning a trip to a local coffee shop to round off our coffee car trip before Caroline K. flies to Fort Worth, Texas.

This isn't about coffee, but tonight Caroline E. is taking Caroline K. for her first texmex experience. It's very exciting...Caroline E. could have a whole other blog about how much she loves texmex.

Gas station coffee??

About half way through our trip we decided to drive all night and get home instead of staying in a hotel over night. This meant that by the time of our next coffee stop most shops were closed. But, in a desperate  need for caffeine, we stopped off at a gas station somewhere in Louisiana for our third cup. Surprisingly...it was really good coffee. We couldn't tell you how to get there, but we can tell you that if you need an extra boost to finish off a long road trip, a late night coffee is a great option. But, in our opinions, coffee is always a great option.

We've been in Sugar Land for about a day and a half now, and we're planning on visiting an obscure shop somewhere in the area to round off our trip. We'll keep you posted!

Chloe's Cup in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Our second coffee stop was Chloe's Cup, a quaint shop that sits right beside the University of Alabama campus. The shop is clearly a hot spot for students because everywhere we looked we saw college kids studying for finals (we were silently rubbing it in their faces that we're already out for Summer).

The atmosphere was young and girly, with John Mayer and Mumford and Sons coming through the overhead speakers. The coffee was definitely better than Daylight Donuts, but it still wasn't anything spectacular. We could tell that Chloe was known for lattes and other prepared drinks rather than her brewed coffee.

We found a cool brick wall in an old alley,
so obviously we had to stop to take a picture. 

Funny story: a random dude came up behind Caroline K and told the barista he was paying for her drink. Just as Caroline, who was confused and flattered, was putting up her money, the guy realized he had mistaken her for someone he was supposed to be meeting. He then apologized for about 5 minutes. It was awkward (for him...we just laughed). It made for a great joke with the barista, which boosted the staff hospitality.

Because Chloe's Cup only has one kind of hot coffee, we had to break our rule and order the same thing. But we did get different kinds of sandwiches (we used the stop as our lunch break). Caroline K got pimento cheese, and Caroline E got chicken salad. They were delicious. We spent way more time talking about how good the sandwiches were than the actual coffee.

We would definitely recommend Chloe's Cup for college kids who need a cool place to hang out and study, but it's not really a road trip stop type of coffee shop, and the coffee was just decent. So...the search for the best cup of coffee continues!

Daylight Donuts (Cleveland's Greatest Coffee?)

Not exactly.

Our first stop was at Daylight Donuts which claims to brew Cleveland Tennessee's greatest coffee so we of course had to try it.  Now, granted, it was a donut shop so it was bright yellow and the tv was playing "say yes to the dress."  Not really the "study" atmosphere we're looking for.

The service was nice but not overly friendly and we have to be honest with you, we didn't even finish the coffee.  The donuts were fine but we probably won't return for another cup of coffee.

Basically, the verdict is that Daylight Donuts definitely does not brew Cleveland's greatest coffee.

An Ode to Mr. Coffee

Today we had to put the true love of our lives, our Mr. Coffee one cup brewer, in storage for the Summer. We can't express how sad we are too have to do this, but there is just no other choice in the matter.                    

Through late nights studying, random dance parties (most likely a result from caffeine), and early morning torture, Mr. Coffee has always been by our sides.

We love you, Mr. Coffee. See you in August.