Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Time for a Coffee Break!


So, school. This means studying, homework, reading, and lots of missed sleep. The cure? Well, time management might work. But you know what's quicker? Cafes and caffeine. Seattle is one of the coffee capitals of the world, and for good reason. Not only were some of the world's largest coffee chains started here (Starbucks, anyone?), anecdotal experience tells me that Seattleites consume more coffee per capita than any other city in America (with perhaps the exception of New York, and maybe Portland... this is all very un-scientific).

For many of you, I realize that coffee is probably not the go-to drink of choice. Need caffeine? Probably you're going to stock up on energy drinks, sodas, or maybe those million dollar/million calorie Frappacinos that nearly every large coffee store carries nowadays. But how many of you have $4.50 to drop every single time you're tired, or find that lurking by vending machines or in gas station marts is conducive to writing that 10-page essay on Hamlet?

Cafes are the perfect place to get a little caffeine boost while simultaneously doing your homework in a quiet, relaxing environment without the distractions of television, parents, and siblings. They usually have large tables, free wifi, and comfy couches to sink into while you're madly highlighting that chapter on the War of the Roses. And what makes it even better is that Seattle has several non-profit cafes that offer amazing local music, give profits to other local non-profit organizations, and sometimes even have negotiable prices! A quick Google search will give you several names, but I would like to highlight three in particular:

First and foremost is the Mosaic Coffee House in Wallingford. It is run out of the Seattle First Church of the Nazarene, but don't let that deter you from the calming atmosphere, the free wifi, and the pay-want-you-want coffee. Plus, as an added bonus, Mosaic is donating 10% of their profits to Teen Link during the month of November, so go down and help support your local coffee shop as well as Teen Link! (Mosaic Coffee House is located at 4401 2nd Ave NE Seattle 98105. Hours of operation are 9 AM - 9 PM Monday-Thursday, 9 AM - 5 PM on Friday, 9 AM - 2 PM on Saturday, and closed on Sundays.)

Next is the Green Bean Coffeehouse in Greenwood. It's mission is to encourage community and community building, while also supporting local non-profits through a similar donation process as Mosaic (unfortunately,Teen Link is not getting any money from them at this time). They have amazing food (quiche AND bread pudding?!), superb baristas, and some pretty fun open mic nights on Wednesdays. If you happen to be in North Seattle coming up, go check 'em out. (Green Bean Coffeehouse is located at 210 N 85th St Seattle 98103. Hours of operation are 6 AM - 6 PM Monday-Friday, Saturday 8 AM - 6 PM, and closed on Sundays.)

Lastly, there's the Q Cafe in Interbay. According to the website, the Q Cafe "support[s] local artists and musicians through our art gallery and live music venue; host[s] many groups through the rental of our space; host[s] community events; help[s] collect resources for the homeless community; and give[s] back 10% of all cafe sales to local and global non-profit causes." The cafe space is huge (the capacity for shows is 238!), and has hosted a number of local and touring artists including Tiny Vipers and Ingrid Michaelson. It is also connected with a neighboring church, the Quest Church, but is now independently funded and operated. (Q Cafe is located at 3223 15th Ave W Seattle 98199. Hours of operation are 8 AM - 9 PM Monday-Thursday, 8 AM - 5 PM Fridays, and closed weekends. Fridays the Cafe reopens at 7:30 PM for live shows.)

So now that you know what's out there, let the caffeine addictions begin!

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