Comet Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Comet Coffee
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I used to work in higher education, it seemed that about a quarter of my colleagues either studied or worked at the University of Michigan. At the time I had never been, so I listened to their stories of a stately campus, the great town and cold winters. Though I had intention of making my way there sooner, it wasn't until recently that I was finally able to visit. And despite my interest in seeing the campus, my sights were first set on an Ann Arbor coffee establishment called Comet Coffee.

Strange Matter Coffee

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Strange Matter Coffee
Location: Lansing, MI
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

A lot of capital cities have interesting histories, but not many possess one as strange as Lansing, Michigan. Originally settled by an assortment of families scammed into buying marshland in a nonexistent Biddle City, these swindled New Yorkers ended up settling a mile north of the marsh, naming their new town after their home village of Lansing. Some years later, when Michigan sought to move the state capital from Detroit, there was such furious competition by the other cities that it was thrown to little Lansing out of frustration. Today, the city has grown to house some great institutions, such as Michigan State University and a coffeehouse fittingly-named for the city, Strange Matter Coffee.

The Virtuoso Winner!

The results are in from our recent contest to Win a Baratza Coffee Grinder and we have a winner!

Kingdom Coffee and Cycles

Part of the Fill in the Coffee Map Series

Subject: Kingdom Coffee and Cycles

Location: Springfield, MO
WiFi?: Yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


The more I am around people who ride bicycles, the more I want to be a regular bicyclist. It's not because I want an excuse to regularly wear bib shorts, or because I relish the idea of sharing the road with easily distracted motorists, but simply because for all the driving I do in my regular commute, I don't get much worthwhile exercise from it (aka you can only do so many curls at a red light). With the busyness of life these days, to knock off exercise and commuting to work with the same action would be glorious. Yet such simplicity cannot be, as I often have to traverse great distances at a moments notice. For now, the bicycle and I cannot be commuting buddies.