Hold The Coffee is out of its trial-phase and is ready for the big boys. (Big boys like NEOMG's upcoming coffee shop blog from reporter Chanda Neely. I am super excited for its launch.)

Yes, that is a T-shirt sporting the logo from
"Relax, It Is Just Coffee" in Mansfield. My
boyfriend Matt bought it as a Valentines gift.

Readers of my weekly coffee shop adventures will need to go to the official Hold The Coffee blog to find future reviews of local neighborhood coffee shops. Nothing against the Eating It Up Locally blog. (I am a big foodie who loves the restaurant reviews posted here.) It's just hard to send out links to my content when it's only a search label inside the bigger-themed blog. This new blog should help readers find more of my posts more easily. 

Back in November, Digital and Mobile Editor Cheryl Sadler and I agreed to embed the blog into Eating It Up Locally so that there wouldn't be much heart ache in case my enthusiasm for posting fizzled out quickly. (Afterall, I work a full-time job covering the crazy and fun stories in the east end of Lake County. This blog is only a fun hobby of mine.) Fourteen posts later, I have proven my commitment to reviewing coffee shops and in a talk this Friday, Cheryl agreed to make a News-Herald blog dedicated to my weekly reviews of coffee shops.

I have already copied all of my previous posts to the new blog and I hope to post a new one today focused on a very sophisticated coffee shop in Cleveland's Gateway District.

You probably won't see any difference in content in the new blog--I am still going to review everything but the actual coffee served at the coffee shops. But maybe this blog will allow enough exposure to give me a post that breaks triple-digit clicks. 

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

It should go without saying that my boyfriend, Matt, knows me very well. So well that he knows what my ideal Valentines date is without asking. (HINT: Think of the furthest thing away from Applebees.)

What a great sport! Matt never complains about
modeling in my low-angle storefront shots.

I have many ideal dates and one of them is adventuring around Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood, disputably my favorite area of Northeast Ohio. It's walkable, has plenty of mixed-use buildings, a wide arrange of unique bars, restaurants, stores and... of course, coffee shops. And unlike other young, energetic areas I've visited such as Ohio City, University Circle and Detroit Avenue, Tremont offers a slower-pace environment that feels more like a neighborhood than a commuter destination.

Anyway, this post isn't dedicated to my love of Tremont; it's here to review a very awesome coffee shop along West 11th Street that also doubles as record and CD store. (Groundbreaking idea!)

Loop, at 2180 W. 11th St., was the final stop for our date after browsing literature and sipping wine at Vision Voice Books and stuffing carbs into our faces at Crust, both on Kenilworth Avenue.

Oooooh... I always get excited over coffee shops with
two floors.

Location: Considering I already spilled my heart out for Tremont, I'll just focus this section on the corner of West 11th Street and Fairfield Avenue. Like most of Tremont, Loop is weaved along mostly houses with a few eateries and retailers in the mix. But this area is far from Tremont's most vibrant pastures.

A few fenced parking lots are dotted along Fairfield Avenue, and many of the houses along both streets aren't as majestic as Tremont's historic reputation would make you believe. And despite all of that, the area has plenty of appeal. In fact, part of me thinks the sour spots add a layer of character to the intersection.

Talking about character, Matt and I had the pleasure of watching runners finish their course of Cupid's Undie Run across the street at South Side restaurant. (Sorry, I didn't shoot any photos of any of the runners.)

After choking down a Lemon Rosemary Chicken pizza
at Crust, Matt and I figured it would be wise to split
only one muffin this time. We were so proud of ourselves.

Food and Beverages: Loop aligns itself along with most coffee shops, serving primarily cookies, scones and muffins in addiction to its caffeinated beverages.

That Saturday, Matt and I ordered a coffee cake muffin, a 20-ounce double-shot espresso and a 16-ounce cup of coffee for $8 and change. The double-shot belonged to Matt, who was going to order Loop's Death Charge that contains three espresso shots. Luckily, he was talked out of it.

I don't typically do this, but I have to give Loop credit on its milk and sweetener stand. Unlike some other places I've visited, Loop offers unbleached sugar in addition to the conventional artificial stuff of Equal and Splenda. (I have yet to find a coffee shop that offers packets of natural Stevia.) More rare to see, they label their pictures with skim milk and half-and-half. It's always good to know what fluid I am pouring into my coffee without needing to bother the barista.

Matt had a fun time looking through Loop's music
collection, but he doesn't buy CDs often. He more
often rents them out at his local library.

Space and Atmosphere: If you're anything like my News-Herald colleague Andrew Cass, you probably skipped down to this section the second you read the phrase record and CD store. And unlike many of the bookstore-slash-coffee-shop combinations I've visited, Loop actually acts more like a half and half business. There's a few boxes and shelves on the coffee shop's first floor, and a far bigger library on its second floor. The second floor even has a station upstairs for patrons to listen to vinyl. Very cool.

The shop also offers very stellar work space for laptops. The first floor has outlets for almost every seat or stool available and its light-colored walls and ceiling lights provide plenty of illumination. (And yes, Loop like every coffee shop has free WiFi. No password needed either.)

Fun Fact: My first visit to Loop, pictured here,
is where I decided to start this coffee shop blog after some
encouragement from five of my News-Herald colleagues,
Amy, Andrew, Devon, Caitlin and Sam.
I now have 13 posts under my belt. Thank you, guys!

Loop also keeps artwork that's for sale mounted on its two-story wall.

Ironically enough, Matt and I learned Saturday that Loop had organized a special art walk for Valentines Day. It's a shame we missed it, but news at the News-Herald doesn't slow down on Valentines Day. For a plan B, Matt and I did spend Friday evening at our favorite Euclid bar, Paragon on Lake Shore Boulevard.

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

In continuing my quest to visit signature coffee shops west of Interstate 77, I am dedicating this week's blog post to Erie Island Coffee in Rocky River.

Liz and I had a fun time composing a photo outside
while patrons were staring at us.

Erie Island is a roasting company with two locations: one on East 4th Street inside Cleveland's Gateway District and the other in Rocky River.

I've visited the East 4th location once in September to chit-chat and catch up with a Kent State friend, and just Saturday, Feb. 8, I had the pleasure of visiting the Rocky River location at 19300 Detroit Road. Another friend from Kent State had suggested the place a while back, and on that day I was driving across Cleveland to pick up my missing Windows Phone in Lakewood, so there was no sense in not driving a little farther west.

News-Herald journalist and colleague, Liz Lundblad, took time from her busy schedule and changing the world to join me for a humble cup of coffee. Despite buying Erie Island brand coffee at Heinen's before, this was her first trip to either location.

I am always sneaking photos like a ninja!

Location: Being my first time crossing the actual river that bears the same name, Rocky River definitely left an impression. I was expecting a more affluent Lakewood, but it came more across as a Beachwood with less frontal parking lots. All of the buildings looked like they were built sometime after the Y2K mania and purposed for single uses, mostly stores and eateries, including the area flush to Erie Island.

The coffee shop is built against the sidewalk, but sitting west of it is Beachcliff Market Square with a large parking lot plaza servicing stores such as Loft, Jos. A Bank, Urban Home and Garden and Mellow Yellow. Erie Island even has a drive-thru window to tie into the parking lot. Nevertheless, even with the lack of mixed-use residential buildings, most of the stores and eateries along Detroit Road are very pedestrian-friendly.

I did see some people drinking out of classy mugs.
I think the barista thought I was ordering to go.

Food and Beverage: Erie Island in Rocky River is a full-service cafe, offering a menu of soups, sandwiches, paninis and salads in addition to plenty of pastries to make a diabetic lose one or more toes.  (Upon editing this, my diabetic boyfriend, Matthew, said this was "offensive, but funny.")

On Saturday, while waiting for Liz, I ordered a 16-ounce cup of their signature coffee and a club crush panini for a little more than $8 and two quarters.

Best of all, refills at Erie Island are only 50 cents. That's very good news for people like myself who love camping out at coffee shops and exploiting their free WiFi.

Someone man the sail and fire the cannon!

Space and Atmosphere: Erie Island is definitely current and trend-conscious, whilst maintaining relevance to a wide patronage. It has a fire place in the center of its seating area, garage-style windows that lift up during the summer months, and artwork on sale along the walls.

Best of all, however, is the atrial ceiling on the west end of the shop. Beneath the glass are antique coffee bags patching up rays of sunlight, so as not to overwhelm any moody, Alt-English majors. It's a cool idea, and combined with the blue color scheme and walls of wooden tiles, it enhances the feeling that you're on a pirate ship. Pirates and coffee? Yes, it needs to happen.

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

This post was updated 5:34 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, to replace an unsettling verb with the more conventional verb of "wussed out."

This week's blog post is focused on a Lakewood coffee and vegan destination that probably should keep a sign outside informing patrons to leave all hoity-toity parts of themselves at the door.

Diana and Andrew were good sports on being models.

The Root Cafe, located on Detroit Avenue between Andrews and Gladys avenues, is a hot spot I've been asked to visit and review. But like so many great coffee shops, it's a 30-minute drive across Cleveland from where I live.

Fortunately, I was heading over to Lakewood for a small 1990s-themed party this past Friday, and figured to head to Root beforehand for some caffeine pre-gaming. It's a good thing I did because I didn't get home until 3:30 a.m. (My friends wouldn't stop playing Cards Against Humanity.)

News-Herald colleague Andrew Cass and Lakewood coffee connoisseur Diana Szelagowski joined me Friday for some chit-chat and caffeine.

Friday had some great comics, but the self-proclaimed
fat vegetarian stole the show. "If you're a vegetarian and
not fat, you're not doing it right," I remember him saying.

Location: I am sure even if you've never visited Lakewood, you've heard of Detroit Avenue. The street, along with most of Lakewood, is a destination for young, artsy, sometimes gay, youth to hang out and live. Root sits along a very vibrant portion of Detroit Avenue--with bars, stores and restaurants along both sides of the street. (A Peet's Coffee even sits across from Root, ironically enough.) There's hardly a vacant storefront to be found.

Like most of Detroit Avenue, Root's storefront is up against the curb, and relies mostly on-street parking for commuters. Quite fittingly, the coffee shop is shrouded by two trees outside.

Despite all of the bars nearby, Root was hopping with activity late Friday evening. I'm sure plenty of it had to do with its open-mic comedy night that we didn't expect to see. I was pressured to perform, but ultimately wussed out. Maybe I'll perform at its next comedy night, Feb. 21.

Hmmm... that cookie was delish!

Food and Beverage: Although short on food when Andrew, Diana and I visited Friday, Root offers a unique range of baked goods and vegan dishes. On Friday, however, I only ordered a 16-ounce coffee and cinnamon sugar cookie to keep me company.

Despite that I am a proud meat eater, I have no problem narrowing my food options to help animals. What I do have a problem, however, is narrowing my sweetener options. As I've discussed in previous blog posts, I only drink coffee diluted and sweetened until it is coffee no more--preferably using 1 percent milk and Stevia. Nevertheless, I can always manage with whatever sweetener and unlabeled white fluid a coffee shop has on hand. Well... except when the only option for sweetener "unbleached sugar."  When did sugar started getting bleached, anyway? And more importantly, why does the sweetener at Root look like uncooked brown rice? Is that its natural form?

Unbleached sugar? What's next, unleaded sugar?

I poured some into my coffee Friday, and then 4 minutes later, after being unsatisfied with the sweetness level, I came back and poured some more. It was only until I reached the lower third end of my coffee did I taste a crazy amount of sweetness. Upon nearly finishing it, I found a pile of shards sitting at the bottom of my cup.

Apparently this stuff doesn't dissolve as quickly as the artificial stuff. I'll remember next time to bring my own sweetener.

Space and Atmosphere: Root's wood-tile flooring and abundance of wooden furniture aligns well with it's name. But aside from the framed artwork and earth-toned colors, what really separates Root from other coffee shop's is its L-shaped seating space and the

I hate when my coffee shops are packed. Go home, people!

cut-out Cleveland skyline that lines up along one of the walls. The layers of green, yellow and blue shapes are something to write home about.

Root deserves major praise for its bathroom. Its purple- and cyan-painted walls with sketches of what I can only assume are famous hipsters possibly makes it the most creative public bathroom I've ever visited. What's more is the ancient-greek-style sink. First time I have seen something like that and I would definitely like to see more of it.

I feel like I should at least one of these faces.

It's nomadic, yet sophisticated.

P.S.: I have to applaud Root's staff on being thoughtful samaritans. On Friday, my personal cell phone slipped out of my coat pocket and into a pile of snow outside the coffee shop. (I was too busy shooting a low-angle of the storefront at the time, as you can imagine.) I panicked all night and morning about it until Diana told me she got a text from my phone telling her to tell the phone owner he can pick it up at Root Saturday. What a breath of relief that was for me.

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

My blog post this week isn't steering far from the local scene in highlighting a long-established indie coffee shop in Coventry Village, and eastern Cleveland, in general.

Devon was gracious enough to pose for the camera Sunday
while holding one of Phoenix's eye-catching
paper coffee cups.

Phoenix Coffee is a Cleveland-based roasting company and overseer of a small chain of coffee shops east of Downtown Cleveland. Of the three, I've only managed to visit the shop in Coventry because it is slightly closer than the one on Lee Road.

The shop moved to a one-story building at the corner of Coventry and Hampshire Road in September. I hadn't visited the shop since the move, but wanted to check it out Sunday, Jan 26. My boyfriend, Matt, was working in Mount Vernon that day, but my coworker and coffee connoisseur Devon Turchan agreed to brave the weekend snow storm and join me for coffee.

Devon is a frequent-flyer of Phoenix Coffee, so it only seemed appropriate.

A similar Phoenix sign, pictured here, will be
going up in front of the coffee shop's new location
on Coventry and Hampshire roads,
as I was told by a barista Sunday. 

Location: I am all about coffee shops blending well with their surroundings, but Phoenix in Coventry might have taken it just a little too far. I had to a walk through the north end of Coventry Road twice before spotting a bunch of hipsters and Phoenix-branded merchandise through the window of a plain brick building. Phoenix takes up about a third of the building on the corner of Hampshire and Coventry, but because it lacks signage, I thought the space was a part of the adjacent "Laura Lee Salon."

I wondered if the objective was to keep its location a secret for the exclusive crowd of hipsters, but I latter learned workers plan to have a large sign up in the next few weeks.

Overall though, Phoenix is in a great place for visitors. I admit, Coventry is past its prime of growth, but it offers a refreshing and slightly less overwhelming scene away from other indie destinations like Ohio City and University Circle. On Sunday, Devon and I even managed to find my boyfriend a Valentine's Day gift soon after coffee.

Another important note to know:
a refill on my large coffee was $2.05.

Food and Beverage: Phoenix isn't something you want to go to on an empty stomach, unless you're looking to fill up on bagels, scones and pastries. But for what Phoenix lacks in options, it makes up in presentation, namely its paper cups. Although I will always ask for huge mugs when I can, the colorful light designs of the paper cups are something to write about and veer greatly from the dark moody paper cups I am all too used to seeing at coffee shops.

On Sunday, Devon ordered a cranberry citrus scone and a large light roast coffee for $5 and change. I ordered a sesame seed bagel with full-fat cream cheese and a large coffee for $6 and change.

Space and Atmosphere: Phoenix's new location trades in dimmer, dinning-room-like space for fresher, brighter chrome-like space. Because I don't have photos of the old location, I am working mostly from memory, mind you.

Here's a wide shot of the front half of the interior Phoenix
Coffee's new Coventry location.

Although some of my friends dispute which location is better, I've grown to accept Phoenix's new Coventry location as slightly more appealing. Sure, I miss the red classy aura I remember from the old, but the new location offers plenty of natural light with its large side windows and integrates plenty of wood work into its design, breaking it apart from the overly bland and steering it away form the obnoxious look of a frozen yogurt joint.

Besides that, the new location has a tad bit of more seating, which is important. I swear, every Case Western Reserve and John Carroll University student studies at the Phoenix on Coventry. Sunday was no different. My options were split between sitting at the almost-crowded computer-work bar or a small table nestled between two larger tables. I decided on the table only because I knew the obnoxious after-church-chit-chat between Devon and I would disrupt some poor college student's studying.

With free Wi-Fi and wide option of wall outlets, Phoenix offers patrons a steady work environment, as well as a chill venue for small groups of friends. With that said, it is important to be weary of how busy Phoenix is before making plans. Even with the stormy, wintry weather Sunday morning brought out, it was clear that Devon and I weren't the only people who liked to live dangerously.

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

I know what you're thinking... it is about time a Lake County coffee shop is finally reviewed! (And trust me, it won't be my last. I'll probably have Open Door Coffee on here sometime in the next two months.)

Arabica looks so inviting from the outside,
or is that just Matt's face?

Most posts on this blog have been dedicated to indie coffee shops I infrequently visit, and Arabica Coffee House is definitely not among them. I often camp out at the Downtown Willoughby coffee shop at least twice a month. It's partly because the News-Herald's office is only a four-minute drive away, but mostly it is because Arabica offers a fresh breath of indie flare in a county that is severely inundated with frontal parking lots and five-lane roads. If Euclid, Richmond Heights or western Lake County offered more indie coffee venues, I probably wouldn't need to know Arabica's hours of operation by heart like I do now.

My boyfriend Matt and I visited Arabica Friday, Jan. 17, for a pre-workout coffee break. Being so close to the newsroom, we were fortunate to have some of my coworkers, Amy, Devon and Cheryl join us for coffee.

Matt realizing he just poured salt in his coffee.
He said he thought the salt shaker was vanilla.

Location: There's only a handful of places in Lake County that possess a neighborhood-like flare (or a strong potential for it.) Those areas sit either around State and Main Street in Painesville, High and Third Street in Fairport Harbor and Route 84 and 528 in Madison Village. Downtown Willoughby, comprised mostly of Route 20, stands out as the success story in the county. Although it doesn't reach the offerings of some destinations in Columbus, Buffalo and Cleveland, Downtown Willoughby does remarkably well in creating a critical mass commercial district for a relatively small city. The first time I visited Downtown Willougby, its brick facades, narrow streets and seamless layer of buildings reminded me of Downtown Kent, minus the nearby massive college campus and needless hassle to find free parking.

They taste as good as they look.

Speaking about free parking, there's plenty of it near Arabica, whether its along Euclid Avenue, Spaulding Street, Erie Street or the municipal lot in front of City Hall. (Yes, Downtown Willoughby has a front parking lot, unfortunately.) I'd argue Arabica's storefront is the most convenient location for drivers in Downtown Willoughby.

Food and Beverages: If there's one thing that separates Arabica from most coffee shops, it is the baked goods, mostly the cookies and brownies. Their designs are often compelling and flavors often rich in  sweetness that I am surprised Arabica's management doesn't place signs near the counter warning diabetic patrons to stare with caution. Matt and I often leave Arabica with carb comas.  Friday's visit was not so different. Matt and I spent $10 and change for two 20-ounce coffees (one with an espresso shot) and two baked goods. Matt was wise and ordered a cranberry granola bar. I was weak-minded and caved in to the smore-brownie, which was the size of a stack of note cards.

Matt and I got Styrofoam cups.Nearly an hour later,
Devon showed us that you can order a mug if you ask. 

If there's one thing that troubles me about Arabica, however, it is its use of Styrofoam cups. Now, I can probably count at least a handful of other indie coffee shops that use Styrofoam, but that's no excuse. We just entered 2014, and it's little secret of the environmental consequences of Styrofoam. And Arabica uses plenty of Styrofoam cups--even for iced beverages, strangely enough. Up until a week ago, I didn't know you could actually order a mug if you asked the barista for it.

Space and Atmosphere: Arabica checks off all of the necessities of a neighborhood coffee shop, combining its wood-panel flooring, exposed brick walls, earth-tone lighting and antique black-and-white photos of Willoughby's urbanized landscape.

An artistic low-angle shot of Arabica!

Arabica excels especially well as a night-life bar. Not having done it myself, I can see patrons starting their bar crawl at Arabica to fill up on some caffeine and sober conversation before launching into one of Downtown Willoughby's nearly dozen bars.

With plenty of outlets and a Wi-Fi password available on the receipts, Arabica also offers patrons good working space. However be warned: the tables near the Erie Street door can get pretty drafty. The building is so old, I can't be too surprised by the draft. I often wonder if that's why Arabica was closed during the polar vortex earlier this month. In addition, its suppose to be closed Monday and Tuesday because of the Alberta Clipper, according to its Facebook page. Ouch! Closed on a frigid day when people like myself need you most? Not cool, Arabica. Not cool.

Here's Matt, Jan. 6, finding out that Arabica is closed
because of the Polar Vortex.

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

I am the first to admit I am never going to be a coffee connoisseur, and up until this post, I never really thought it mattered much.

Lets just say the two men drinking their coffees outside
were very amused to watch the photoshoot between
Matt and I. 

It was not so much the case at Relax, It's Just Coffee. The Mansfield coffee shop--sometimes spelled without the comma to grind the gears of Grammar Nazis--is like the indie craft brewery of coffee shops. Some of their darkest coffees are so intense that they can make my boyfriend, Matt, squirm--even with milk and sweetener added.

Relax was a frequent hangout of Matt's when he was a student at Ohio State University's Mansfield Campus and it speaks volumes of the alternative lifestyle he lived (still mildly lives in a rated PG way) before meeting me.

According to Matt, I've seemingly visited every coffee shop worth reviewing in Knox County, and so we agreed to drive 40 minutes north Sunday, Jan. 12, to visit Relax and find out if anything has changed since our last visit in March.

Matt ordering our coffees.

Location: The coffee shop is located inside the city's historic Carrousel District and blends well with the surrounding businesses and their facades. Downtown Mansfield doesn't have the best reputation. Even I admit, the streets and buildings are a little too rustic and beaten and have too many parking lots for my taste. But the Carrousel District adds a breath of vitality to Downtown Mansfield, and despite being a small district, anyone can see the positive effects it is having on surrounding blocks.  Yet, Matt was walking, experiencing an elevated sense of nostalgia.  He mused, "Simon, sometimes the best people and places are like these buildings: a little rough and worn, but still lovely."

Like any good coffee destination, Relax, sits in the center of this district and its mission to revitalize Downtown Mansfield.

I ordered a Mocha simply to appreciate the foam art.

Food and Beverage: If you're looking to quell an empty stomach, Relax is not the coffee shop to visit. Relax carries scones, cookies, muffins, bagels and other sugary carbs, all made by a local bakery, but leaves out other staple food options like sandwiches, wraps and soups. But then again, Relax is within walking distance of so many great restaurants that it's hard to knock off too many points because the coffee shop doesn't have a fully functioning kitchen.

On Sunday, Matt and I ordered a chai pistachio muffin, an apple oat scone, a 16-ounce Mocha and a 16-ounce mug of some absurdly dark coffee that will taint your soul. It all cost $8 and change.

Very nice layout for an artsy coffee shop.

Space: Relax is definitely a place worth checking out. With its narrow hall-like space, exposed ventilation and wooden flooring, Relax seems more like an art gallery that just so happens to brew and serve coffee. In fact, Relax is pretty much an art gallery. Paintings and sculptures from students and local artisans are arranged throughout the space.

It's probably why Relax often attracts a niche artistic crowd that sports dark, over-sized jackets and long hair. I call them intensely hipster, but Matt calls them "alternative," or more proudly "alt." Either way, walking into Relax Sunday made me regret shaving my facial hair or showering that week. But in less than an hour, the crowd of patrons changed from "alt" to business professionals and even families. (Because kids love those sugary Mochas.)

Large menu huh? It's actually all beverages.

Relax seems to also attract a lot of students. A few were working on their laptops Sunday, Matt included. Relax has plenty of wall outlets and unless you were logging on with my computer, the place also has working Wi-Fi. Its best attribute, however, is the soft, moody music the staff plays. Think Plumb, but without any Christian references.

If you're in Mansfield with an non-famished stomach, Relax is a place to stop in.

if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

Simon is back this week, and I am reviewing another coffee destination in my home city of Buffalo.

My boyfriend, Matt, and I visited my parent's house for a three-day weekend earlier this month. More important than meeting my parents, I wanted to introduce Matt to some of Buffalo’s cool, hip assets. On Saturday Jan. 4, Matt and I scouted through the famous Elmwood Village. It's not actually a village, but a vibrant commercial district in northern Buffalo filled with locally owned shops, galleries, restaurants, bars and cafes.

I tried to fit SPoT Coffee's sign in the frame,
but if I backed up any farther into the street,
I am sure car would've hit me.

Matt and I spent more than two hours at SPoT Coffee at 765 Elmwood Avenue. I have to confess, SPoT is actually a publicly traded company with nine locations and blurs the lines between indie and corporate. Despite being headquartered at its Toronto location, the company has most of its cafes in the Buffalo area. Three are in the city, two in nearby suburbs, two in Upstate New York cities and one in coastal Florida.

I am sure some people might accuse SPoT of being a big corporate chain, but I don't think their size is that out-of-control, and from what I've seen, each location is very different from one another and tries to emulate a neighborhood coffee shop. (Granted, I've only visited a SPoT once before my visit to the Elmwood location, and that was a quick stop at the one on Delaware Avenue.)

Instead of reviewing SPoT, the company, I am dedicating this post specifically to the Elmwood Avenue location. (Expect the same treatment for other regionally chained coffee shops. I am looking at you, Pheonix Coffee and Erie Island.)

This beautiful mural of Elmwood Village was the
first thing to greet our eye's at SPoT Coffee.

Location:  Elmwood Village a place founded by hipsters, and taken over by college students and rich single people. It's the kind of place you meet someone for a day-long date and by the end of the day, you'll have sworn you walked a half-marathon. What's more, a strong portion of the shops and restaurants are located inside renovated and repurposed old homes and mansions.

Despite being located inside a one-story, single-use building, SPoT's high roof and streetside facade blends well with its surrounding buildings. 

Nearby curbside parking can be hard to find In Elmwood Village. Not so much the case at SPoT. There's actually two public parking lots within walking distance of the cafe. Parking lots might grind my gears, but they do serve well in accommodating commuters, much like myself.

Because the lighting was so dim where we were eating,
I lit the food using my second smart phone's flash.

Food and Beverages: SPoT carries the traditional wide range of caffeine beverages, smoothies, sandwiches, wraps and breakfast items, but it's also known for its selection of gourmet pizza, which presents a valuable option for a group of young hipsters who want to hang out together on a tight wallet.

Matt and I didn't order a pizza. He got a bagel with enough veggie cream cheese to clog someone's sceptic tank,and I ordered a hummus wrap, which you can imagine contained enough hummus to do the same. Together with two 16-ounce coffees and a side salad, we spent a little more than $15 and two quarters.

I am in love with those glass jars on the left.
They have packets of sweetener in them.

Space and Atmosphere: Matt and I were thrown off our feet when we first entered SPoT that Thursday evening. Like most coffee shops we visit, we were expecting a calm and personal atmosphere. What we found was pretty much a crowded date night with colorful walls, bright lights and music almost as loud as a college town bar. We don't normally go to coffee shops after 5 p.m., and I am sure that played a big reason for the unsettling atmosphere. 

We first sat at a small table adjacent to a woman and man of our age who were clearly on a first date. (I think it well because later I saw both walking together toward Downtown Buffalo.)

Don't be fooled. Nearly half were playing video games.

After several minutes, Matt and I found more welcoming space at a a bar stool area near the windows. The seven or eight people sitting there were all on laptops. The softer music, dimmer lights and nearby wall outlets allowed Matt to work on his online test for nursing school and me to therapeutically creep on people walking between stores outside. I've never seen a seating area at a coffee shop so blatantly designed for work. 

Unlike most coffee shop's I visit, SPoT's volume of seating and tables can accommodate groups of up to a dozen people. I know that Saturday I saw one group of nearly ten people crowded comfortably around a large table.

With SPoT's large space, it is no surprise I saw flyers for an upcoming open mic night posted around. (Too bad it was scheduled two days after Matt and I returned to Cleveland. Would've loved to try my stand-up comedy one more time.) 

SPoT keeps a Ken and Barbie doll posted on the women's
and men's restroom doors. Groundbreaking! 

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

There is no Simon this week.  He is tied and restrained with duct tape in an anonymous car trunk in Euclid.  I'm kidding, but I garnered your attention, no?  (I do not mean to be overly prejudicial, but according to the French Foreign Ministry, the probability of Simon finding himself in such unfortunate circumstances in Euclid is actually quite high.  I lovingly ask him not to park in the dark, but do you think he listens?)  Actually, his whereabouts are seemingly more lackluster.  He is currently slipping and sliding along "the 90," among the torrent of frigid, meteorological ejaculation that occurs often during January in Lake County, Ohio. He said he had to "write about a council meeting," or whatever that means.

I'm trying to bring sex appeal to coffee.

Instead of Simon, I will be writing about Wiggin Street Coffee, a charming locale Simon and I visit upon occasion when exploring central Ohio.  So you and I will not be complete strangers, allow me to tell you that I am Matthew, Simon's charming, remarkably attractive, humble boyfriend, a graduate of "The" Ohio State University with a degree in English and minors in History and Spanish.  (Don't ever allow me to catch you withholding the rather sanctimonious "The" in my Alma mater's title.  I will quickly interrupt you and ask you to rightfully repeat yourself.)  Seeing that I hold a terribly marketable degree of English from this great Ohio school, I enrolled in a nursing program this past July and upon completion of my NCLEX in the fall, I will be moving to the Cleveland area to begin practice as a nurse and further my nursing education so that I may assist Simon when he has another bout with mono, stomach flu, or listens to copious amount of Daughter and acquires the melancholy.  (If you don't yet know Daughter, please cast your attention upon her via Youtube.)      

Location/Local Colour: Wiggin Street Coffee is cozily nestled in the idyllic hills of The Village of Gambier and Kenyon College in Knox County, Ohio; one hour north of Columbus and two hours southeast of Cleveland.  Kenyon College is considered a "new Ivy" and number-one on Forbes' List of Most Beautiful College Campuses.  The sleeper-hit film, Liberal Arts, starring Josh Radnor and Elizabeth Olsen was filmed upon her campus.  It is the quintessential, leaf-strewn liberal arts school where creative, bookish, and heatedly philanthropic, and righteously hipster students from the Northeast and southern California enroll to "get away and find themselves" and earn degrees in Women's Studies, Art, Anthropology, Dance, Queer Theory, English, Being Lesbian  and many more auspicious foci of study.  In short, Kenyon College is a world-renown, private, Midwestern Mecca for the arts and humanities with a $60,000 yearly price tag.  Also, it has one of the most quaint, civic-minded coffee shops I've ever visited.

Comfortable furniture for warm conversations.

I am going to disclose something rather shocking: I am not the "frontal parking" connoisseur that Simon is.  (I believe I just heard his Ford Focus break with alarm.)  My belief on the matter is simply: buildings and architectural theory evolve over time and what and how something was built in the past often had its fitting reasons, so if it makes little sense or does not meld well with current building/commercial trends, that's quite okay, in my opinion, and Simon and I are simply going to have to agree to disagree.  (Trial/error, cause/effect are how history is written, but that's for another blog.)  I myself, am a Romantic, and like old things that do not always make sense in 2014.  Wiggin Street Coffee, at 101 East Wiggin Street, however, is located on a pedestrian-friendly location, but it is housed in a tiny Victorian block adjacent to a historical Episcopal Church, which I attended when I was younger.  Parking is available across the street along the front lawn of church grounds.  Every business in Gambier, Ohio is locally-owned and the citizens advocate damned hard to keep life that way.  Juxtaposed to Wiggin Street Coffee are a rather Jewish deli frequented by Episcopalians, the campus bookstore, Village Inn Bar & Grille and Kenyon administration buildings. Kenyon College charmingly coalesces its college with the commercial, and vice versa.

Warm, clean and little distraction for the Thinking person.

Space/Atmosphere: When Simon and I visited, the students were on winter holiday, so we beheld a vacant coffee house with plenty of space and solace for Simon's article-writing and my feverish attempt to catch another Pokemon on my DS.  The mocha walls and minimalist decor provide a calm, clean,warm environment with little flare or distraction for the Thinking person.  A guest may choose from a myriad of seating options: the cafe bar with stools and industrial lighting, several circles of plush sofas for a more collectivist meeting, or booth seating with (Hallelujah!) plenty of electrical outlets for lengthy laptop use and electronic devices.  (My greatest pet peeve is lack of outlets in coffee shops to accommodate rather lengthy stays.  However, remember to gauge what you purchase based upon the length of your stay, but we will cover that later.) I enjoy booth seating because Simon and I both have space for our tasks and duties, but I can easily disrupt him with a gentle kick below the table to ask him to assist with my DS.  ("You press the 'B' button, Matthew.  The 'B' button...")

The barista area was lit with industrial-style bulbs
 and the equipment was open for the guests
to enjoy the drink-making process.

Less conspicuously, but nonetheless, just as important as the coffee shop at large, Wiggin Street Coffee has one of the most thoughtful and civic-minded restrooms I've ever graced with my urinary and scatological needs.  Stocked with 100% natural and biodegradable hand soap and unbleached toilet paper made entirely from post-consumer materials, the most ardent environmentalist can relieve herself with little or no ecological consequence.  (Also, it was delightfully warm.  Typically, restrooms in coffee shops are too cold.)  The restroom has the same, warm mocha walls and my bottom could not necessarily tell the difference in the unbleached toilet paper versus the traditional Charmin blankets I use at home, but my bottom was definitely a hero, that day.

I like my coffee like I enjoy my men: strong, slightly pale
and a little sweet.

Food & Beverage:  Now, I understand this blog is titled, "Hold the Coffee," but doing so in my entry would only prove to be a detriment in the proper description of Wiggin Street Coffee, because the beverages are what makes it so special.  Wiggin Street Coffee does offer various baked goods like scones, danishes, muffins, and upon occasion, sandwiches.  However, the reason to visit is its beverages.  (I know, I know, I'm breaking the blog's orthodoxy, today.)  I bought Simon and I drip coffee with some rather robust espresso, a crisp, peppermint mocha with a delightful leaf pattern in the foam, a raspberry-chocolate scone, vanilla danish and eventual refills prepared by a notably professional barista for less than fifteen bucks.  Also, the coffee has a streamlined, civic distribution process from "farmer to roaster to you," heralded by its coffee provider, Epitome of Granola.  Many coffee shops are rather discreet in their drink-making processes, placing their brewers, presses, mixers and such behind a counter or partition, but Wiggin Street Coffee is rather celebratory, expressive and sensuous in serving the guests in a brightly-lit, barista area with all of the equipment and accessories within view.  These people live and breathe coffee.  As mentioned, the barista station is surrounded by a coffee bar and stools so the guests may observe their drink's genesis and burgeoning.  The industrial light bulbs are simply breathtaking.

Coffee with a conscience.

On a side note, since I have free reign of this post while Simon is somewhere in the wintry wilderness, I am going to take a moment to discuss what I'll call, "drinks purchased/length-of-visit etiquette."  Like many coffee shops, they are located within proximity to a college or university and students frequent them for rather long allotments of time whilst studying, yet sometimes purchase very little in proportion to their stay.  My rule of thumb is such: for every hour I occupy a table, I purchase one cup of coffee.  This keeps my table and involves me in the life and investment of my coffee shop.  We all win.

Overall, Wiggin Street Coffee is for the coffee shop goer who yearns to experience the romance of a rural, liberal arts campus with a natural, food chain-free backdrop.  From a humanities scholar novice to the  graduate like myself who often wishes to reconnect with that epoch of my life, visiting the Village of Gambier and Kenyon College to have a peppermint mocha will prove to be a pleasant step into nostalgia and quietness for the Thinking person.

Simon will be back next week. In the meantime, send suggestions of any coffee destinations to @SimonSaysNH or shusted@news-herald.com.



        

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

Editors note: I usually try to post entries on Sunday. However, this weekend I came down with the stomach flu and had problems just standing up straight and remembering my boyfriend's name. I hope you all forgive me for waiting until New Years Day to get this done. Future blog posts will still be on Sunday, health permitting.

I would love to live above a coffee shop like this!

Do you have a small city you love visiting, but wonder if a third or more of that love is simply attributed to its indie coffee shop? That is how I feel about Mount Vernon and Sips Coffee House at 101 S Main St. My boyfriend, Matt was raised in Mount Vernon, a town about 45 minutes north of Columbus. In addition to seeing him, his friends, and downtown Mount Vernon's revitalizing spirit, I love spending hours sitting in Sips, reading what question The Mount Vernon News asks random strangers in its weekly series, "Taking It to the Streets."  (On a side note, the answers are often hilarious and entail "Jesus.") Much of our time consists of my helping Matt study for his next nursing test that delves a little too deep into female genitalia; all the while capitalizing on free coffee refills.

Matt and I visited Sips this past Saturday, December 21, for the nth time and I figured I would dedicate my blog post to that visit.

Location: On the corner of Main and Vine streets, Sips is one of the successful downtown businesses partially responsible for Mount Vernon's steady revitalization, operating since the late 1990s. Virtually all of its Colonial-style brick buildings are occupied with independent book stores, bakeries, offices, apartments and myriad other vintage shops. Mount Vernon is the kind of place where I will like to see the city of Painesville in three or four years.

Yes, there's pasta salad behind my sandwich,
but at least I didn't order a muffin

Sips' Main and Vine Street entrances are up against the sidewalk--just like the Universe intended. A surface-level/free community parking lot does sit on the other end of the block, but it doesn't detract or break up the dense environment along Main Street. (The smaller parking lot across Vine Street does break up the synergy a bit, however.) (Matthew questioned my usage of the word, "synergy.")

Food and Beverage: Being also a deli, Sips makes wraps, sandwiches, panini, soups and overwhelmingly gregarious muffins, in lieu of a community with a suspiciously high density of diabetes.

Matt and I usually stop at Sips after a grueling, muscle-building gym session, so we're buying food often to support our gains. Saturday was no exception. We ordered a Cobb wrap, an Atlanta deli sandwich, two biscotti, and two house coffees for $19.50. The biscotti were made by Paula Barone, a retired English teacher who started her own "micro-bakery." (I think I found my latest hipster buzzword.)

Space and Atmosphere: Despite Fox News often playing on the TV and the interior's antique-themed decor, Sips draws a surprisingly varied crowd. Matt often points out all of the gay employees and patrons at almost all of our visits. (As such, I've learned Mount Vernon has a dense, Kinsey-6 population.)

In addition, Matt and I always see students (mostly from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Central State Technical College or nearby Kenyon College) working on their laptops. (The password to the coffee shop's Wi-Fi is available on the receipts.)

As much as I love "Space Invaders," I want more.
Maybe Ice Climbers and Donkey Kong? 

Just Saturday, I saw a group of high school students piled around the Space Invaders arcade machine in the dining area. Matt tells me that is a new addition.

Using its corridor-shaped space, Sips occasionally hosts musical performances and open mic sessions in the late evening hours. You probably won't see me displaying my comedic skills there anytime soon, however. I would know, because I asked the owner to give me a try, but he replied, "We really try to keep it family-friendly."  What does he know?

Sips gets two thumbs up for hosting these. 

Again, if you have suggestions of a coffee shop for a future entry, send it to me via email--shusted@news-herald.com--or on Twitter at @SimonSaysNH.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To read the latest posts on Simon’s coffee shop adventures, visit his blog at www.hold-the-coffee.blogspot.com.

Remember back when I proclaimed a front parking lot is a deal breaker for any coffee shop that wanted to be indie? Well, I guess even that rule has some exceptions.

See how the front parking lot disrupting the coffee shop's
indie flare. Disgusting

My fellow reporter, Andrew Cass, told me about Coffee Phix Cafe in early December when he wrote about its involvement in South Euclid's Christmas Tree event.

Despite noticing the two rows of parking in front of the shop, my boyfriend, Matt, and I were still eager to try it, Saturday, Dec. 7, after our gregarious, gains-yielding gym workout in Richmond Heights. (It's only a 6-minute drive, mind you.)

What we found, were plenty of redeeming indie features that greatly compensates for the building's less-than-hipster parking design. Coffee Phix makes a great nursery lesson for novice hipsters like myself: Never judge a coffee shop by what's between the curb and the storefront.

Location: I probably should start off explaining why front parking lots are a bad thing for community-minded consumers. (And it isn't because it eliminates the challenge of searching for free or cheap parking.) First, it makes eating and shopping less pedestrian-friendly. I don't know who likes cutting through a massive parking lot, which is often treacherous and life-threatening, to get to their destination. I think many people would prefer to spend double the time reaching their destination by means of walking through a more vibrant sidewalk versus a parking lot with nothing to see. Second, the layers of cars always ruin the aesthetic of an attractive-looking commercial strip.  And finally, the third reason why front parking lots are humankind's most disgusting invention is because they inhibit patrons inside from "people-watching" or enjoying the elements. What else are patrons suppose to do in between writing blog posts about coffee shops other than enjoy the diverse and eclectic passersby? Scope out the newest Kia Optima nearest to the window?

Now that I've given everyone a brief dissertation of the unfortunate existence of frontal parking lots, not all frontal parking lots bode as poorly as the rest. In fact, Coffee Phix is a best-case scenario: it's not in a strip plaza, and it still has a pedestrian-friendly sidewalk beyond the two rows of parking. More importantly, the building next door is up against the sidewalk and has a nature-inspired, hand-painted mural on the side of its building to grace the eyes of everyone in Coffee Phix's front parking lot.  It is a simple, easy addition to add a dramatic aesthetic punch.

Food and Beverage: Now that I am finished dedicating half of this blog post to my thoughts of frontal parking lots, we can move on to what Coffee Phix sell. In addition to tasty pastries, coffee and sandwiches, Coffee Phix also sells marijuana. Well actually, it's just THC-free hemp seed energy bars. They're supplied by Ohio-based Plant Kingdom Snackery and Bakery.  (Matthew is a nursing student and healthcare worker who receives frequent drug tests.  The kind barista put his anxieties at bay, guaranteeing he would not test positive.)

My ice coffee next to Matt's double brew.
Coffee Phix has even bigger mugs than these.

We bought the hemp bars after our meal. Together, Matt and I had a 20-ounce ice coffee (mine), a 16-ounce double-brew coffee (his, of course), a tuna-salad sandwich (mine) and a "sausage frittata" (his.) We spent $15 flat on it all.

I rarely ever talk about coffee in my blog, but News-Herald reporter and regal coffee expert, Devon Turchan, conducted some independent research and reported to me that Coffee Phix sells and roasts Phoenix Coffee-branded coffee beans. Part of the reason is because the location used to be part of the Phoenix Coffee Shop chain. The owner, who confirmed Devon's reporting, said that's why the building's name was spelled "Coffee Phix."  (Ala, "phoenix.")

Maybe it is a fire hazard, but who cares. It looks SWEET!

Space and Atmosphere: With the interior's high, black ceilings, structural beams and brick walls, I can see why an indie business like Coffee Phix would be interested in leasing the space. Coffee Phix also decorates its interior with signature coffee bags and colorful furniture.  The ceiling is donned with coffee bean bags, displaying an intersection between eco-friendly and chic.

Coffee Phix's interior is charming during the day, but emits a unique, majestic flare during evening hours, complimented by the warm, ethereal glow of Tiffany-style light fixtures and warm shaded lamps.

Best of all, the coffee shop integrates its space with community events. The day my boyfriend and I visited, the owner was busily affixing pieces by local artisans throughout the space for an art show that evening. And just this past Thursday, the coffee shop hosted an open mic

Here's Janet and another percent setting up the art show.

night, where I made my debut as an amateur stand-up comedienne, flabbergasting the crowd with my skills of charm, wit and hilarity. (Janet, the owner of the coffee shop, posted a snippet of my 6-minute act on their Facebook page.)

Apparently, Coffee Phix likes to schedule these events every other week. I commend coffee shops that double down as community hubs for culture, art and sharing.

(Editor's note: Adjectives and adverbs were profusely encouraged and harangued by my boyfriend, Matthew Sellers.)

The News-Herald in South Euclid? You better believe it!
Won't find this in your local Starbucks.