Well, here we are almost at the end of summer. It’s gone by really fast for me, and part of the reason for this is that I have been doing a lot of traveling. Most of that has been down to Baltimore (because it’s a much easier drive than Philly) and most of the traveling to Baltimore has been for science fiction and fantasy conventions. Yep, I’m a nerd. Have to declare it plainly lest you think I’m a hipster just because of the blog and the love of art and coffee. It’s a common mix-up, don’t feel guilty. This last one was two weeks ago and was called Shore Leave, owing to its Star Trek theme. William Shatner was the guest at this event. Insanity ensued which I won’t detail here.
Anyhow, the first of these conventions was in May, and I visited a coffeehouse on that trip, so I thought that I would repeat that success this time around. That turned into a real adventure. For such a populated area, there were few options other than Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. I’m serious; in Cockeysville and Hunt Valley, there are no independent coffeehouses on the map. I drove all the way to Pikesville on the hope that a place called the “Milk and Honey Cafe” would be open. It was open, but they served absolutely no coffee. By that time it was three in the afternoon and I was in full-on panic mode. Well, panic muted by a lack of stimulant that is. When I gave up and just settled in to the hotel where the convention was, someone overheard my plight (I was venting quite loudly at the time to anyone who would listen) and told me that there was some little place in a plaza across the street that might still be in existence.
I drove across the busy highway, desperately hoping that this place, whatever it was, would still be open. It actually was, and boy was it better than expected. Granted, I don’t heap expectations upon a place stuck in a tourist plaza, but this was a genuinely nice joint. It had a hustle-and-bustle feel to it, but that’s only to be expected given where it was located. The coffee itself was good; not to Ambreen’s level of distinction at the former Cafe di Luna, but certainly better than the generic stuff spewed out at a deli! They even had non-dairy creamer as an option. The best touch to the coffeehouse was a chalkboard hanging on one of the walls where tourists could write where they came from or where they want to visit. This really impressed me because they’re owning the fact that they’re inundated by tourists just passing through the area. Instead of trying to be something they’re not, they are embracing their role without snark. Now that was as refreshing as the coffee.
Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering why there are no photos yet…it’s because I got a new iphone and for some reason it won’t sync to my gmail account, which means that I can’t even send myself my own photographs. Lame. Oh well, tech support should have it sorted by the end of the week and then I’ll post a few goodies, including that travelers chalkboard. Until then, stay caffeinated.
The Coffeehouse Journey 