Showing posts with label upstate new york. Show all posts
Showing posts with label upstate new york. Show all posts

Monday, August 17, 2020

Amity Coffee Co.



Subject: Amity Coffee Co.
Location: Penn Yan, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

For the three long years my wife and I spent in Syracuse, we tried to make the most of our geography and visit all of the nifty towns in the area. Looking back, we failed quite deplorably, as we only went for the crowd favorites like Ithaca and Watkins Glen. Now I look at the map of New York and see so many intriguing spots we've had to make up since we moved south.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Public Espresso




Subject: Public Espresso
Location Visited: Downtown Buffalo, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The first time I went through Buffalo, it was cold, dreary and I could not find a good cup of coffee. The last time I was in Buffalo, it was sunny, mild and I found numerous coffee stops. One of my favorites as of late is a place called Public Espresso.

Friday, May 15, 2020

Second Wind Coffee



Subject: Second Wind Coffee
Location: Johnstown, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

Driving south out of the Adirondacks truly jolts you back to reality. One minute there abounds mountain majesty as far as the eye can travel, and the next it's nothing but rolling farmland and less majestic vistas (though it is still pretty of course by Jersey standards).

Monday, February 17, 2020

Steamworks Coffee





Subject: Steamworks Coffee
Location: Lockport, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

If one spends any time in Upstate New York, the Erie Canal must come up at some point. When I lived in Syracuse, there were markers and signs everywhere, showing where the waterway once played so prominent a role in the city life. Sadly (or fortunately depending on your opinion) the canal has largely been covered over in places like Syracuse, but for folks looking to see what used to be, there are still a few towns that have kept their canal heritage and charm, and if you had to pick just one to visit, I would suggest none other than Lockport.

Sunday, February 09, 2020

Highwheeler Coffee




Subject: Highwheeler Coffee
Location: Fort Plain, NY
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Back when I lived in Upstate New York, trips on I-90 were all too frequent. Usually I had places to go and there were few good coffee stops in the passing towns, so I would often bypass the many historical villages for the sake of expediency. But as of late, the coffee scene of New York has been improving and thankfully given me more reason to stop and explore the hidden gems off the NY State Thruway.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

CC: Caffe Vero Coffee Roasters

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Caffe Vero Coffee Roasters
Location visited: Lake George, NY
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]


O
f all of the frequent parts of my childhood, I remember vacationing in Ocean City, NJ almost every summer for the first 18 years of my existence. While I immensely love the
natural draws such as the beach, the fresh summer air and the ocean, the man-made attractions such as the boardwalk, salt water taffy, caramel popcorn and various amusements inhabit my really vivid memories.

But boy howdy how Ocean City differs in the winter, as typical for a resort/vacation town. Nothing is really open, the streets are barren and the only thing to do is polar bear swims (I am currently at 21 separate swims). Yet aside from visits to such towns along the coasts (at least in NJ and Oregon), I can't say I've been to many non-coastal resort towns that don't hold at least two seasons worth of tourists.

Lake George is probably one of the few exceptions. I've been to the town twice in my life, the first for a Geology field trip in October as a college freshman and then as a recent stop on a trip to Lake Placid; both times the town has been practically empty (even the McDonald's was closed for the season!). But aside from the lack of bustle, there was still one draw for me.

Word had it that a place called Caffe Vero Coffee Roasters was doing some good things with coffee and espresso. Delighted to find a possible good coffee stop in so barren a coffee area, I practically sprinted out of the car and through their front window (ok, maybe I wasn't that extreme, but it felt like it).

The interior had a nice long counter up front and in the back, a seating area arrayed in mountain lodge style with plenty of old wood seating amidst a roaring hearth. I stepped up to the counter and ordered their house blend (a medium roast) and an espresso. The drip proved good, as it reminded me of root beer, ginger, a touch of earthiness and as it cooled, a tinge of cream. The espresso, a dark blend extracted by skilled hands, demonstrated bitter and dark but had some nice flavors of chocolate and citrus (had the blend been different, maybe lighter, the espresso would have been better). The tea is free leaf.

So, though Caffe Vero had a few disappointments, the place seems to hold tremendous promise. If you happen to be in Lake George for either summer vacation or a winter pit stop, give Caffe Vero a go.