#STL66: Do The Coffeeshop Hop!
Waking up and getting on the go can be especially challenging some mornings. Two weeks ago, I started a new job that requires me to be at work at 8am. That means I am currently rising almost before the sun even comes up! And let me tell you, there are often weekends (more frequently than should be allowed) that I am up until the sun rises… But that’s what happens when you’re a DJ - you often lead a double life of day-walker status and night owl tendencies. And that is where the delicious liquid gold called coffee comes in.
As the Phillips66 #STL66 contest rolls on, you still have plenty of time to check out and check into all the local highlights of our city on the 66 Reasons to Love Saint Louis list! One of the stops you can visit is Blueprint Coffee in the Delmar Loop.
Blueprint is a pretty neat space in one of the most happenin’ parts of town. The coffee served there is roasted in-house, and you can watch the workers handle the large machines from one of the furthest-back tables. The shop itself is almost open-format, with a low glass bar enclosing pastries and offering the baristas their workstation. I personally like the fact that the baristas deliver your drinks to you! There’s no yelling of names or confusing of drinks. The shop itself can be pretty busy, so if you come alone, be prepared to squish in with a stranger-soon-to-be-friend. Because of its bustling interior, I often pop in for only a short while to meet a friend for a coffee.
If you’d like to know where I settle in, curl up on a couch, and stay for hours, look no further than Rise in The Grove.
I have called Rise my “home away from home” before. You might remember seeing this post from back in January. It offers a cozy, amazing space to get away and enjoy an incredible cup of coffee. It is also closer to my neighborhood, and that is one of the reasons I love it - it feels like a neighborhood spot. One you are always welcome in. The baristas smile and ask your name, and will ask again if they forget. I see them out and about in The Grove while I’m there. It feels kind of like being in a weird little spread-out family.
I’m also a big fan of their quiche. It’s never let me down, and I feel like that can be hard to live up to! In a hurry a few weeks ago, I had tried Rise’s fall spice latte, so I was ready to take the time to enjoy one more slowly while at the shop with my photographer Abby. It’s just the right amount of sweet and spicy. Rise makes a damn good latte!
What is your favorite coffee spot around STL? Do you have a home away from home too? Have you been following along on the #STL66 hashtag? It’s your best way to see who your competition is. You have to join in the fun if you haven’t! Head on over to 66reasonsstl.com to learn more about the contest. It will give you a map of Saint Louis and a list of all of the locations that are participating in the contest. Race to check into as many locations as possible, and hashtag #STL66 and #contest to enter. Don’t forget to geo-tag yourself there as well! Learn more about the contest and the fabulous prizes you can win (66 months of free gas, hello!) by clicking here: http://66reasonsstl.com/contest.html.
Photos by Abby Gillardi.