I think itās time for an official post for the 1 year (6/15 so a little late). Iām excited to share some numbers and things weāve accomplished.
Before we get started, I want to thank all of you who have participated in the weekly polls, contests in the past, or have even just dmāed me for a recommendation. It means a lot and it pushes me to keep on going everyday. I appreciate you all so much!šš¼
Okay cheesiness aside, itās time for some numbers!š¢
ā¢As of today weāve visited 92 coffee shops. Out of those 92, we recommend 39.šš¼
ā¢Our smallest poll had 170 views with 34 votes & our biggest poll had 312 views with 90 votes.š
ā¢We reached and exceeded our goal of 1,000 followers. š
ā¢Our average amount of impressions per month is roughly 22,000.š
ā¢We had our first group trip ever to Chicago & weāve booked another for Seattle this September. š«
ā¢I love meeting new people and am proud to say with confidence Iāve met some amazing baristas, owners, and other coffee drinkers during this period.āļø
Iām thankful for all of the support youāve given on this journey & am excited for whatās to come.šš¼
Photo Credits: @songjohansen šø Special Thanks To: @songjohansen @grace.mcdonald @matt__frat @laurenpahl_ šš¼
Today weāre at the Cafe Astoria on Grand in St. Paul.
This place has never failed to please. The employees are so warm and friendly every time I enter, the ambiance Astoria brings is unique, and all of the paintings and plants just gives it a real cozy feel.
Iām glad Astoria is open again. Theyāre here everyday with dine in and patio seating from 7AM-3PM. Bring a mask!
Todayās drinks: Pumpkin Pie FrappeĢ (Hot/Cold) & 24k LatteĢ š (Hey thanks for hooking it up!)
Todayās lunch break brings us over to Lululemon in MOA. Theyāve got a nice little shop hidden in the back of the store, yes in their own store!
Someone welcomed me as I walked into the clothing area and let me know about the promotions and what they had going in today.
I love their clothes, but today we came for coffee. I headed in back bobbing my head to the upbeat music and approached the coffee shop.
As I began to look at the menu, two very kind baristas greeted me and helped me out with deciding what to order. I wasnāt sure if If I should have gotten a coffee or a smoothie.
The first barista explained that they get their coffee locally @pennyscoffee_ and that the smoothies were good too. I ended up trying both. They did not disappoint.šš¼
Todayās drinks: Strawberry Nice to Meet You & a classic Americano. š
Todayās lunch break brings us over to the South Saint Anthony Park Neighborhoodās Dogwood Coffee.
I actually went here with my old bud @christopher.cho last year and it was really good. Everyoneās kind of just doing there own thing here.
One of the biggest things that make a coffee shop good is how you are treated when you walk in. The baristas here were very friendly and even helped me schedule a walk-in reservation!
The atmosphere is relaxed and everyone is doing work so hey, hereās another good study/work spot for ya!
Goood Morning Coffee Addicts! How much caffeine can you fit into four 5oz glasses? The results may surprise you!š¤Æāļø āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā THIS WEEKāS WINNER/LOCATION: Newly opened on October 1st over on Lyndale in the Lynlake neighborhood is this weekās winner @thirdspacecafempls ! Thank you to @allcoldbrews for the recommendation!š āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā THE SCOOP: So Iāve actually met the owner Erin before! If this flight looks familiar to The Last Dropās, itās because she used to manage there and is the original creator! With 12 years of experience under her belt she was finally able to fulfill her dream & open up her own shop, bringing her ideas with her.š
Everyone has 3 spaces: 1. Their home or place they stay 2. Their public participation (school/work) 3. Their third space-somewhere they can fully be 100% themselves (Favorite spot/doing a hobby/what makes you feel at peace) š
Erin is trying her best those who want to focus on making a full time career in the coffee industry. Rosie (barista) has worked with Erin in the past and feels strongly that she knows what she is doing. They both love their team & the community. šš¼
*Fun fact learned yesterday*: In Italy being a barista is seen as a prestigious level career because over there making coffee is an art.š®š¹ āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā FINAL THOUGHTS: Nice natural sunlight, āI Love You Always Foreverā, a super high ceiling, coffee flights, a propagated plant cutting wall, & an LED Happy Lamp to help fight your SAD. Those are just a few of the many good things about this shop. Theyāve got events on Thursday evenings for the social people, a reading area for the quiet ones, & an overall huge space for everyone in between to catch up over a nice cup (or flight). Great shop, add it to your list.šš¼
To all of those who celebrate, I hope you had a warm and cheerful Christmas with your friends and family. š
Today, Mr. Songathy and I scouted a few spots around downtown Minneapolis for a shoot. We ended up right outside of The Emery where of course we also snagged some coffee. āļø
Itās always a fun time at these shoots. For all of you who donāt know Song; heās my go to photographer, my little, and although we donāt talk all the time heās one of my closest buds.
I also want to give him a quick shoutout for just getting signed onto the Twinās baseball team as one of their newest interns. šøā¾ļø
I love seeing my friends succeed and I couldnāt be more proud of you guy. Congratulations. š
Todayās lunch break brings us over to the Saint Anthony East neighborhood.
Five Watt Coffee is todayās shop. Walking in youāre immediately hit with an industrial feel, indie/alternative music, and very friendly baristas.
Iāve heard about this place from a while back but never had the chance to come here. Very laid back environment. Iāve noticed almost everyone here is working on their laptops both inside and outside so if youāve got work to get done, this isnāt a bad place to go to!
Todayās drinks: The Kingfield & Busy Beaver š¤“š» š¦¦
Todayās lunch break brings us to the corner of Fairview and Randolphās Due Focacceria! (Right across from St. Kateās)
I spoke with a barista named Patrick who kindly shared a little but about the Italian establishment.
Due has been around since Summer of 2019. They specialize most of their meals around this type of bread called Focacceria (a style of Italian flat bread).
Today I tried their Formaggio & Carne board. It came with an assortment of goodies that included delicious spreads, vine ripened fruit, and bread to die for.
Something cool that Patrick also mentioned is they try to focus their establishment in an aperitif style.
I learned today that Aperitif is the time before dinner that you usually have a drink and chat, usually for an hour or so. This fun segment of time occurs in most European countries, but mainly in Spain & Italy
Needless to say, Due likes to enjoy their meals. And with their presentation and seating Iād say itās pretty easy to enjoy a meal around here.
Guys we just hit a freaking milestone! Weāve got our first ever event w/@vitalityroasting coming up to support their new coffee bag launch!š
Here are the details: āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā Where: Black Coffee & Waffle Bar (Como Location-1500 Como Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414)
When: Sunday, September 12th from 12pm-2pm.š
What to expect: 1. Drop in & meet up w/16ozDays x Vitality Roasting coffee community.š£ 2. A giveaway with Vitalityās new coffee bags.š 3. A 16% discount on your entire purchase!š° āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā Guys, for the good of the people, skip the Starbuckās Frappeās for a day to taste some of FINEST QUALITY COFFEE for a FRACTION of the cost.āļø
Today weāre at one of my old favorites. Located over in the Lowry Hill East neighborhood is @thelynhall . Guess what? Theyāre open for dine in again.
Man did I miss it here. The Lynhall is a go to spot for my buddies and I for a cup of light signature coffee and a sublime brunch.
Let me share my experience today. I was greeted and seated within 30 seconds of entering. MJās āI Want You Backā was playing, old friends were catching up, and the smell of fresh pastries was in the air.
I sat barside and had the best customer experience. Charles was my barista/bartender today. He walked me through some great menu options and was very patient with my choice (Shakshouka). As requested, they also timed my second cup of coffee with my meal perfectly. Very welcoming and kind staff here.
Great meal, even better service. 10/10 experience here. If youāre ever in uptown, give them a chance, you wonāt regret it. Definitely a top 5 pick.
Iām a big fan of Spyhouse Coffee Roasters and guess what? Another Spyhouse location has re-opened!
Today Iām at the North Loop location in Minneapolis right off of Washington Ave.
This one is a little smaller compared to the others, but itās upbeat. The choice makes you want to nod your head and the staff here are great. As a small chain, the drinks are similar, but with each location brings a different character.
Expect more Spyhouse posts to come!
Oh and hey, have a great Labor Day Weekend. š
Todayās Drink: Frost Bang and Solid Gold š“āā ļø . . .
Iām sure some of yāall have already heard or seen, but yesterday we went to @honourtheday for some coffee, juice, and sāmores for their Grab and Go event!
Located in Stinson BLVD in the Como neighborhood in Minneapolis was where we had this fun experience. They had music, a bonfire and some great deals on their drinks, soup, and even their skin care products!
Todayās lunch break brings us right on over to Spyhouse at the Emery Hotel in Downtown Minneapolis on 4th Street.
This is my favorite Spyhouse location by far. It has a huge open area with high ceilings. Itās a big space, but a very welcoming space.
Youāre instantly calmed with the soft classical music and can feel the warmth from the fireplace as you enter. It almost feels like youāre in a small chateau or manor.
The barista was very friendly when greeting me and even introduced me to this new Elote Danish (surprisingly very tasty).
They have been open since early September, but recently extended their hours to: Tues-Sat: 7AM-4PM Sun-Mon: 7AM-1PM
I highly recommend this spot as a place to get your work done as there are is an abundance of seating complimented with a relaxing work environment.
Gooood Afternoon Coffee Addicts! Weāve got a new face in North Loop today!š° āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā THIS WEEKāS WINNER/LOCATION: Theyāre formerly known as Bootstrap Coffee. Right off of Washington between 5th & 6th ave is @BackstoryCoffee š Recommended by: @sxtatianna š£ļø āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā THE SCOOP: ā¢Established 2014 whole selling beans. ā¢2019 Brick & Mortar in St. Paul off Wabasha. ā¢October 28th grand opening in north loop!
Todayās space is absolutely gorgeous. Ambiance-wise imagine extremely high ceilings, repurposed wood with antiques to fill the spaces, a plant wall, & a vast majority of seating options all being complimented by natural sunlight.āļø
I had the pleasure of speaking with @kinseychristine (manager) today. The two locations compliment each other, a Ying to St. Paulās Yang if you will.āŖļøā«ļø
This is definitely a sit & stay spot. Backstory roasts their own beans & receives them fresh from their original location fresh twice every week. They have chia pudding/parfaits, pastries, as well gluten free options. Lots of choices for you & your friends.š½ļø
I left yesterdayās event with a smile on my face. I canāt express my gratitude for those who were able to swing by.ššš¼
Whether it was our first time chatting, us being complete goobers together, or some reminiscing of the good old days, it was an absolute pleasure to have been able to spend that time with you all. š£š
I hope everyone was able to sample some of the delectable coffee and make some new friends!š¤
Iām still in awe that this was our FIRST event. This is just the start guys. The coffee only gets better & our community only grows bigger. Weāre only going up from hereā.š
A final thank you to the 16ozDays Coffee Fam, @vitalityroasting , & @bcwb_mn for all of the support on this collaboration. It has a gratifying experience and is definitely one for the books.āļøšš¼ āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā *The Raffle* Shoutout to those who ordered drinks, Vitalityās new coffee bags, or subscribed to the 16ozDays Blog!š
Winners for the raffle are tagged!ā-> Congrats everyone!šš (@laurenpahl_ twiceš) āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā #16ozDays #VitalityRoasting #BCWB #CoffeeGathering #CoffeeCommunity #CoffeeDate #CoffeeBags #MNCoffee #Minneapolis #MinneapolisCoffee #CoffeeBeans #Raffle #Prizes #CoffeeBlog #CoffeeBlogger #BlogEvent #coffeeblogevent...
Iāve just started a new career and have been trying my best to well... Do my best there. I apologize as Iāve realized it has taken some time away from 16ozDays.
But good news! I finished my case load a tad early today so you bet your boots I went to grab me some coffee. Black Coffee and Waffle bar down on Marshall in St. Paul is grannnnd. Takeout yes, but they are now also doing dine in!
I canāt tell you how many times Iāve been here on a Saturday or Sunday morning. Great place for curing hangovers and even better place if youāre a waffle fanatic!š»š„
Hello hello Coffee Addicts, Hope you’re doing well. Waking up to our daily dose of caffeine is fantastic. We’re upbeat, productive, and sometimes even more outgoing. But what comes up, must come down. We all know that feeling of lying in bed staring on your phone or out the window dying from what seems like a migraine that won’t ever end. Well, here’s the life cycle as well as tips on how to deal with a caffeine comedown.Ā
Ā The Rush
If you’ve kept up with my Instagram feed, you’d know the other day I had a drink from Spyhouse Coffee called the “Frosty Bang Bang”. Don’t be deceived by fun the name because this guy is stronger than a dead eye. This drink has the same texture as an Icee and hits harder than a truck. The Frosty Bang Bang is a horchata (a Mexican style drink made of rice water and cinnamon with some added granulated sugar for a sweet taste) with 5 shots of espresso!Ā
It tasted delectable and had a very inviting taste that made you want to drink more. My heart was racing and I felt like I could write a novel. Feelings of productivity flooded my system throughout the duration spent at Spyhouse. I live with ADHD. Naturally I have more energy than your average guy, but I remember this drink taking it to another level. ItĀ made me want to run all of my errands and even clean my roomĀ after I got home… And I did.
The Crash
Drinking coffee makes you feel good, but see the thing that people never talk about with drinking coffee is the comedown. It’s something that everyone goes through so today we’re going to discuss.
Needless to say, the Frosty Bang Bang gave me a rush of energy. It lasted a few hours, but as the boost of vitality started coming to an end, I started to feel more tired, and even irritated. I think that’s my least favorite part, the irritability. It feels very similar to a hangover. You get annoyed by every little sound, things that usually wouldn’t piss you off would, and when you just spiral into this little pit until you’re at your baseline again.Ā Ā
It’s a dreadful feeling, and like waking up the morning after an interesting night out, you go through feelings of regret. The pleasure from the efficacy felt at the peak isn’t there anymore, it’s just the repercussions from your decisions, and they’ll be lingering for a while.Ā
damageĀ PREVENTION
At this point you might feel like the world is ending and you’re never going to drink it again. Don’t worry this is just a temporary feeling and the negative effects will subside, I promise.Ā Ā
Here are some tips to help mitigate any future comedown damage:
First is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Don’t get me wrong, coffee is fantastic, but is not a substitution for sleep. The average adult requires 7-8 hours of sleep to run efficiently and productively.
Hydrate. It’s funny how often people forget to drink water. This is also similar to drinking alcohol, drinking on an empty stomach will help you feel the positive effects more, but the aftereffects are not pretty.
Like hydrating, make sure you eat, even if it’s a light snack. I’ve gotten hangry to many times from just forgetting to eat breakfast before drinking. Anything helps and really does make a difference.
Last is to limit your intake. This is different for everyone, but on average you should have no more than 400mgs a day or 200mgs in one sitting. That’s close to about 6 shots of espresso in a day (oops).Ā
The ways listed can absolutely help remedy your crash, but they’re even more effective if you do them preemptively!Ā Ā
Final Words
As I write this last paragraph I’m thinking about some of the things I go through. I’m not sure if you feel the same way but when I have a little bit too much to drink, during the comedown I tend to not want to be social in any form what so ever. I’m not sure if I’m the only one who feels this way but I’d love to hear your comedown experiences and what you go through too.
I’m going to go chug some water, take care you goofs.
Leave a Reply