Showing posts with label Ruby Roasters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruby Roasters. Show all posts

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Solo Espresso




Subject: Solo Espresso
Location: New Orleans, LA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When I first planned out a recent trip to New Orleans, one of the first Airbnb spots my wife spied sat adjacent to a coffeehouse. Never being too hopeful that such convenience can result in great coffee, I got my hopes appropriately low and googled the shop. Little did I know that said cafe would soon become one of my favorite coffee shops in the city.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Blacksmith


Subject: Blacksmith
Location: Houston, TX
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

In Texas, the only thing that exists in a diminutive state is winter's chill. Especially the further south one travels, temperatures seem to stay above 50 F most of winter. But naturally when visiting the brand new Marriott at the George R Brown convention center complete with Texas-shaped pool, I found the temperature well below freezing, mirroring the icy Philadelphia I had just left.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Alchemy Coffee




Subject: Alchemy Coffee
Location: Richmond, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The density difference in quality coffeehouses between west coast cities and east coast cities still surprises me. While the gaps grow smaller, places like Portland and Seattle still boast the greater amount of great coffee establishments per square mile, with the only real exception being New York City (though you could argue that due to the irregular density and infrastructure of NYC, it really should be put it in a class of its own). Thus it's no wonder that several years ago, when Portlander Erik Spivack transplanted to Richmond, he found a woeful lack of great coffee in this Virginia city. Fortunately, his response was not to complain on social media or give snarky remarks to friends and relatives, but instead to start up Alchemy Coffee.