Notable Little Rock Coffee...

To whom it may concern-

As some of you know, I am an actress... so that means that I get (hopefully if I get regional work) to travel. My hometown of Little Rock, AR has been my first stop in my performance endeavors. Little Rock has a plethora of amazing food and trendy areas but not a lot of coffee shops. There are actually two (so far) that are worth mentioning. There are so many Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts around the local coffee scene gets pushed to the wayside. But these two noteworthy shops are almost always filled with hipsters and coffee lovers alike.

Mylo Coffee Company -- (Little Rock, AR)

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Photos by: Sydney Ippolito

The Latte: Now, out of any coffee shop in Little Rock, Mylo is my absolute favorite. I will go out of my way for a delicious Honey Latte with the milk steamed to perfection and the shots pulled to excellence. Sometimes the lattes are better than other, but that's just a human thing. I have never gotten a latte that I didn't like. Their latte art is always beautiful and whimsical. They have Soy and Almond milk available for you anti-lactose folk. They're a little pricey at $4.50 for a latte and $5.50 for a honey latte. But, it's so very worth it. And if you continue to pay with the same card for 9 transactions, the 10th is free! So, super worth it.

The Wifi: Now, I don't usually go into Mylo to use the internet but I have never had any qualms! It's definitely worth it. The password is always changing and they post the password on the counter everyday.

The aesthetic: The main wall in the entrance is decorated with a beautiful mural of the city of Little Rock complete with cats in most of the buildings. The tables are all wood finished and the store is always so clean. If you come in later at night you can smell the pastry chef baking up a storm for the next day! 

Overview: I have not previously mentioned, but the pastries here are divine as well! I can almost never pass one up! This is my FAVORITE coffee shop in Little Rock. Hands down.

Mugs Cafe - (North Little Rock, AR)

 

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Photo by: Sydney Ippolito

The Latte: This latte was really delicious and ENORMOUS! The milk was steamed to perfection and the shots were pulled beautifully but the type of cup the latte is served in doesn't really do the latte justice with the aeration of the milk as you're drinking. But, all in all, so good. The latte is affordable at $4.00 and you can add your own honey for free!

The Wifi: I have never used my computer at Mugs... I have always gone for breakfast or lunch with a friend.

The aesthetic: The aesthetic of this shop is the cutest ever! They have a stage and they double as a church on Sundays... which admittedly, that's a little odd, but the cold brew is TO DIE FOR so I am willing to forgive them for being closed to the public on Sundays. :P 

Overview: MUGS HAS A DELICIOUS MENU. If I were ever to want coffee and food, Mugs would be my absolute first choice. Their menu is affordable and amazing.  I really love hanging out there. They have local artist's work hanging on the walls and the staff is always so nice. 

I really love that there's these amazing coffee shops in my hometown! I can't wait till the next time that I visit and there's even more awesome coffee shops!

-Sydney the Destroyer

Honorable Mentions in the Little Rock Area: River City Coffee, Cafe Brunelle

The First of Many Coffee Entries...

To whom it may concern-

It all started in Austin, TX when I decided that I was going to be super snobby and write about every coffee shop that I attended during my visit... Then I thought, why don't I do that all the time? This project is full of all the things that I love... Coffee... Writing... Blogs... Snobbery... All the things. So here goes my first entry here. I will also link my previous blog post about all of the Austin coffee shops here: http://kittensandpuppiesandrainbows.blogspot.com/2015/04/austin-coffee-tour.html?m=1

I used to use the "cappuccino metric" to judge different coffee shops, but I am just as much a fan of a latte, so I am going to use the "latte metric" this time around!

Friday, October 23, 2015-

Birch -- (New York, NY)

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Photo by: Sydney Ippolito

The Latte: I am such a fan of Birch. I think that it's my favorite coffee shop in the city so far. It's affordable and it's just brilliant. The milk is always expertly steamed and the shots are pulled to perfection. The espresso has a light and nutty taste which pairs well with any types of milk. AND for those non-dairy folk they have Soy milk and Hemp milk options.

The Wifi: So, let's talk about this awesome download speed. Amazing. Also, the way that they encourage people to leave and not just sit here for hours (ahem... sorry) is that they have to ask for a new Wifi code every hour. Most codes consist of an 8 digit code that is different every time. It's pretty great. So, if you're going for hours... be ready to ask for another wifi password however many hours you're there.

The Aesthetic: All the Birch locations are very "homey" feeling. If I want to sit and chill, I go to the one at 96th street and Columbus Avenue or the 7th avenue and 13th street location. But, if I just want a quick cup of coffee, then I will run into the 62nd Street and Lexington Ave location. There are lots of dark wood tones and it's filled with books. They have a cute tipping poll where there are two tip jars where there are two answers to a poll question that they posted. It's pretty great. They also have "Let's start a conversation" prompt at the 96th street location where someone get's a table and a question that encourages people to approach them. It's a very interesting concept.

Overview: I love Birch. It's one of my favorite coffee shops for sure.

-Sydney the Destroyer