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Repurposed Travel: Deptford's Recycled Train Cafe

August 26, 2008 at 1:30 PM | 0 Comments

A retired railway carriage in Southeast London has gotten a fresh makeover that's transformed it into a beautiful new gathering space. Called The Deptford Project Cafe, the rail car has been hand painted with retro song lyrics, bright colors and bold fonts by Studio Myerscough and Luke Morgan. The cafe is the opening move of a regeneration project to breathe life back into the Deptford Train Station area.

Besides serving locally sourced food and sustainably farmed coffee, The Deptford Project Cafe will also play host to art shows and a weekend creative market that will showcase art, design, music and film.

If you get there soon, you may also be able to catch one of their barbecues--and be sure to check out the bathroom dedicated to Elvis.

Related Stories:
· The Deptford Project Cafe [Official Site]
· Derailed Delight in Deptford [Joes[a]fiend]
· London Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Missed Connections in Toronto: The Admit It, You've Seen "The Notebook" Edition

August 22, 2008 at 12:30 PM | 0 Comments

OK, so the romantic weepie starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling was pushed on us when we were terribly ill and couldn't fight back. But even if you believe it's a load of Hollywood hooey, the reunion of the movie's It Couple can make you believe, unlike Gena Rowlands, that love will find you again.

And with the Toronto Film Festival just a few weeks away, don't you want to be seduced in the dark?

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Caffeinated Travel: Mobile Coffee in Copenhagen

August 18, 2008 at 11:00 AM | 1 Comment

If you're strolling through downtown Copenhagen and need to get your caffeine fix, keep an eye out for the Espressomanden. Ole, the espresso man, is the proprietor of a very cool mobile coffee shop mounted on a cargo bicycle.

He can be found daily, parked on the streets of Copenhagen, and is available to serve coffee at weddings, receptions and company parties. You can also wave him down, taxi style, and he'll stop and pull you a tasty double shot.

The Espressomanden is completely self sufficient. The cargo bike can carry loads up to 150 kg and the coffee machines are powered by natural gas on board.

As it happens, Copenhagen is one of the world's most bike friendly cities. More than 50 percent of the population ride bikes as their primary form of transportation. Cargo bike based businesses are also taking off in a big way. If you don't like coffee, you'll also find fruit bikes, newspaper bikes and a whole bunch of rickshaws.

Related Stories:
· Espressomanden [Official Site]
· Espressomanden Ole [Copenhagenize]
· Copenhagen Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Copenhagenize]

Missed Connections in Atlanta: "Cuz You's a Cutie"

August 1, 2008 at 3:15 PM | 0 Comments

Hey, did you see the video HotelChatter posted from the reopening of the Atlanta Marriott Marquis? We're definitely checking it out the next time we're in town!

Check in first if you need someone to party with--it worked for R. Kelly!--and then hit the town to find your hotel-bar partner in crime:

Octane Coffee and Lounge :: This Starbucks alternative offers free wireless, its own blog, ample seating and women with beautiful smiles. 1009 Marietta St., NW

Bulldog Bar :: It proclaims itself Atlanta's #1 Gay Bar, serving up guest-DJ stands and shy guys. 893 Peachtree St., NE

Two Urban Licks :: This spicy Southern joint may not have takeout men, but if you can take the heat, request seats near the rotisserie! 820 Ralph McGill Blvd., NE

Related Stories:
· R. Kelly and Cassidy, "Hotel" [Lyrics007]
· Missed Connections coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of "Forbidden Love" dance as performed by the Atlanta Chinese Dance Company: bylander]

Starbucks Alternatives: The Coffee Mill

July 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM | 0 Comments

In Seoul, where the locals generally prefer their morning brew to be of the hazelnut-flavored and watery persuasion, finding a decent cup of coffee can be an endeavor. Cafes here are often pricey with plush, tacky decor, so stumbling upon a simple spot to while away a rainy summer afternoon is even more rare. Which is why we were delighted when we came upon The Coffee Mill.

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Missed Connections in Boulder: Off the Links Edition

June 27, 2008 at 3:30 PM | 0 Comments

We were tickled by this week's story of kids being accidentally exposed to strippers on a Colorado golf course. But with all due respect to the fundraising caddies at this event, maybe a charity tournament like this one isn't the best place to meet someone, caddy or player.

Instead, why not head to one of these hot spots in nearby Boulder? We've even given each locale a possibility-of-seeing-kids rating so you can avoid any gaffes!

Walnut Brewery :: Taste a uniquely named microbrew like "Devil's Thumb Stout" or brandish your cigarette case at the bar. Kids? Only if you're in the restaurant section. 1123 Walnut St.

Catacombs Bar :: Stake out a pool table at one of the first bars in the city to serve liquor. You might meet someone tattooed and long-haired. Kids? Doubtful, though it sounds like a fun dark place to explore. 2115 13th St.

The Laughing Goat :: Bring your laptop and your scruff or enjoy a live show at this Starbucks-free cafe. Kids? Probably, as the place has its own MySpace page. 1709 Pearl St.

Related Stories:
· Missed Connections coverage [Jaunted]
· Boulder Hotels [HC]

[Photo: helloloveexperiment]

Celeb Beverage Travel: Who Drinks Starbucks In New York City?

June 26, 2008 at 9:08 AM | 0 Comments

New Yorkers are supposed to be over celebrities--a harder proposition thanks to Gawker Stalker. But when Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler ducked into a Manhattan Starbucks with his girlfriend this week while staying at the Trump International Hotel, he ran afoul of a crazed fan... of Jesus!

That's right, there are nuns in SoHo, and one of them jumped up and down when she spotted Tyler in "her" Starbucks.

Seems like another great reason to check out our Starbucks Alternatives series: No screaming nuns! Even better that these shops don't feature has-been, Croc-wearing rockers.

Related Stories:
· Nun Sees Miracle [NYP]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: The Superficial]

Starbucks Alternatives: Milkboy Coffee

June 19, 2008 at 10:30 AM | 2 Comments

Philadelphia isn't one of those towns that's overflowing with quirky coffee shops, but it's worth a ride out on the SEPTA train to hit up Milkboy Coffee, an always-happening cafe in the Mainline suburb of Ardmore.

Set between Haverford, Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore, the spacious venue is always buzzing with studious types--probably thanks to the free WiFi and 10 percent student discount. Evenings are a little more lively, offering live music, indie movie premiers, art openings, book readings and DJ nights. The drinks menu is limited to java, but like many of Philly's finer venues, you can bring your own booze.

There's also a smaller offshoot of Milkboy about two miles up the Mainline in Bryn Mawr; it features live acoustic performances. Both locations serve breakfast and a menu of sandwiches and grill items.

Related Stories:
· Milkboy Coffee [Official Site]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: jessiezhng9]

Testing Starbucks' $11,000 Coffee Machine

June 16, 2008 at 4:00 PM | 0 Comments

We love our Starbucks Alternatives, but sometimes we do enjoy the Green Monster. Our very own Hunter Walker just checked out a unique bit of coffee gadgetry for us.

This weekend I had the opportunity to check out the infamous $11,000 coffee maker at a Starbucks on Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The coffee machine, known as the Clover, is seen as such a revolutionary piece of Java technology that Starbucks purchased the company that makes it back in March to prevent it from popping up in too many independent cafes.

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Starbucks Alternatives: Too Pricey for Travolta

June 13, 2008 at 1:30 PM | 1 Comment

Remember that scene in "Pulp Fiction" where John Travolta is shocked by the $5 shake at Jack Rabbit Slims? Better add River Maiden Artisan Coffee to his list of places to miss: The cafe serves up a $15 cup of Panama Esmeralda.

The ultra-rare beans that River Maiden uses are also available by the half pound for $100. One customer interviewed by CNN swears by the stuff:

It is very complex. It's wonderful. This one has some tropical fruit things coming through, notes of pineapple and a little bit of mango.

But not everyone's a fan. Another customer says she'd need a good reason to spend 15 bucks on a coffee:

Maybe if it was in Turkey or some place, but not off the streets here.

Related Stories:
· River Maiden Artisan Coffee [Official Site]
· How Much Is That Coffee? [CNN]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]

Starbucks Alternatives: Flamepoeira

June 12, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments

This quirky North Boston cafe is about as far from a corporate coffee shop as you can get.

Owner L'angelo--who goes by one name--named his place after his two favorite dances, and that should give you a hint to Flamepoeira's artsy sensibilities. The sandwiches are all named for famous artists: You can go for the classic Da Vinci or the eclectic Dali, but you'll get more props from the staff if you venture for the avant-garde Warhol or the screaming hot Munch.

The espresso is strong and the WiFi is free, but this isn't the place to put on the earphones and dive into work. The lounge-y open room inspires conversation, and the cafe draws a crowd of artists and activists who are quick to slide in next to you and talk your ear off about the eclectic artwork on the walls, Barack Obama's election chances or the virtues of fair-trade coffee.

Related Stories:
· Flamepoeira [Official Site]
· Starbucks Alternatives coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: GV Chang]

Starbucks Travel: The French Do It Weirder

June 10, 2008 at 10:32 AM | 1 Comment

What do raw mushrooms, inflatable palm trees, Gorgonzola and coffee have in common? That's what we were asking ourselves Saturday when we made a caffeine pit stop at the Louvre's underground Starbucks--and found a full-fledged free-sampling luau in action.

Apparently the bizarre celebration was a promotion for a new Hawaiian coffee flavor which, according to Parisian baristas, goes exquisitely well with two of Hawaii's delicacies, raw mushrooms and pungent cheese. Huh?

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