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Now for our guest Yelp Reviewer: Yogi Berra! Yogi: Nobody Goes There Any More. It’s Too Crowded. Thank You Yogi !!! * * * Merit Coffee is a coffee shop in the Triangle. It is the first nice one the Triangle has ever had. Another coffee shop under different ownership had opened in the Triangle previously. That first coffee shop was all naked ugly industrial cement. The space was grim and boxy. People avoided hanging out there and for good reason. * * * Now Merit opens a coffee shop in the Triangle. They solve the looks problem very very nicely. They have a nice corner space. Their location has beautiful streaming light. Their decoration is lovely: all white and wood-tones with modern furniture. Merit’s room is a delight to be in. * * * However, don’t count on actually getting to be in Merit’s room. For an establishment of its size, Merit has the fewest actual tables of nearly any coffee house in Austin. The fewest by a lot. The indoor tables fill super quickly. They have tables outside for those people who are forced into the hard cruel world. The outside tables are good for, maybe, 45 days a year. These are the 45 days a year in Austin that it is not either too hot, or too cold, or too rainy or too buggy to work outside. So the odds are good you will have your computer in one hand and your latte in the other, and you will be crowded out of the inside, NOT wanting to get stuck on the sidewalk. Believe it or not, this was probably management’s plan. With the small number of tables, Merit LOOKS absolutely gorgeous. There are wide open spaces just about everywhere. There is plenty of room for foot traffic around a rack at one end selling coffee beans. And with the small number of tables filling up fast, the place always looks full and popular. But if I am showing up to a coffee house to get serious work done, I do so under the assumption that I will get a table. There is plenty of room for getting more work locations in here. * * * For Yelpers who want to know how good the edibles are, They do great cortados, okay espressos, great yogurt and okay macarons. Basically this is a good place. But believe Yogi Berra on the main point of him avoiding the crowds. When I was there, I couldn’t find Yogi Berra anywhere.

The Mocha Nut Coffee Shop – Menu with Prices – 1625 E Southport Rd, Indianapolis

I would give them a 4.8 as far as stars go. The crew that works there is friendly and welcoming. I also enjoy the atmosphere they have going. Definitely a hipster hangout or at least new age feel. They have a good menu design as it’s not the typical board behind the bars but more of a hand held menu. Not a ton of options on the menu which is great for a coffee shop in my opinion. The bar has a white tile back drop and has black equipment. The rest of the cafe has a lighter wood color, the use of black piping used for shelves and what not. The lights are Edison lights which fit very well. The whole cafe has a very familiar coffee shop feel from that of Chicago. It’s higher class feel for sure. That being said; while it might have the feel of a higher class of coffee, the prices are very affordable. The cold brew or “iced coffee” is only $3.50. Most places sell it for upwards of $5. That makes the place a better place for a lot of different people. Also there’s a medium amount of room to work or talk. They also don’t have over powering music or super echoing room so it makes it for a great place to study or do work. Not to mention they have smaller two seater tables outside which make for extra seating (assuming it’s not 100 degrees out). All in all this is definitely one of the better coffee shops in the southern Indianapolis area. It’s definitely worth the visit. If not a common place to get coffee or do work at. You’re probably curious why I didn’t give it a 5 star rating. My biggest reason is the space. While there is a moderate amount of space in the shop there could easily be more. I get that they just got this building and they just opened, but in the same time I feel there’s a lot of potential for it to be a 5 star. Just needs time to grow and establish their brand. PS they have a great tasting cold brew, acidic at first with a smooth chocolatey finish.

The Golf Club at South Hampton – Menu with Prices – 315 S Hampton Club Way, St. Augustine

Sadly, had to re-write the review from back when this was my favorite course….Although its still a great course that’s always in great shape-several things have happened that causes me to knock down S Hampton a couple stars: 1) To quote Yogi Berra, “Its so crowded nobody goes there anymore” It’s Wed morning, and they’re already booked SOLID Saturday until 11:39….the last time it was like this….my group got a time @noon – and waited until 3 minutes before tee off to get a cart….almost 5 hour round was a little tough 2) Lady at the register – dark haired lady always rude…..the last time I went there after getting a tee time online…was told (very rudely) – it wasn’t in their system, then lectured me about printing a confirmation – I have no doubt it was a computer glitch, and possibly even my mistake…but she was a complete…let’s say “witch” it the way she handled it. 3) Pro – wife bought me 5 lessons…..I’m NOT a good golfer – and I have a lot of issues in my swing (including being fat and cross-handed)…I really wanted these 5 to be a start of multiple lessons to completely change my swing and game – even if it meant tearing me down to build me back up…..I never felt he listened, and after telling him what he was asking me to do was extremely uncomfortable….just told me i needed more flexibility and keep going….I was sore for 3 days, tried another lesson a couple of months later – same thing…..I’m going to just eat the last 3 lessons – just don’t mesh or feel confident with the pro (although he was a really nice guy). To close – I’ll go back, but only if we get a foursome (ALWAYS pair you off – need to, it’s that crowded) and I’ll be sure to buy a few beers to relax and enjoy a great course…..because we’ll be there a while….

One Nickel Coworking – Menu with Prices – 4323 Main St, Philadelphia

So excited to discover a new coffee shop in Manayunk! I just stopping in for coffee and ended up staying because I loved the ambience/scene. They have plenty of available tables to sit/chat/work/study/etc. The decor is compliments their relaxed chill vibes – definite stress free environment. I ordered their pumpkin spice latte (special for the season), and wow! It was not overly sweet, like some pumpkin lattes. I asked the barista about it and learned that they make their own pumpkin spice puréed out of their own pumpkins! Completely natural and no processed syrup – so yummy for a warm fall beverage! I also learned that there are working/office tables in the back which you can rent out or they can rearrange for any type of event you want to host. They also have more tables upstairs with the same rental work/office space. Definitely need to try this out for one of my study sessions. Need to go back to see how their coffee brews, but for a new coffee shop – I say they mastered the pumpkin spice latte early on. Kudos!

Third Coast Coffee Menu with Prices 4402 S Congress Ave #109, Austin

Austin still promotes itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” but I’ve been living here a while now, and I’ll tell you exactly what we’re good at: 1. Austin is the “Live Food Truck Capital of the World.” 2. Austin is the “Live Whole Foods Capital of the World.” 3. Austin is the “Live Texans-who-eat-BBQ-but-vote-Democrat Capital of the World.” Oh yeah, and maybe one more: Austin is the “Live Coffee Roasting Capital of the World.” Seattle & San Francisco may have more boutique roasters, but they’re not capitals & grunge is so 1990. If you’ve had a really good cup of coffee from an Austin coffeehouse or hipster restaurant recently, it’s probably from one of our own local roasters. You won’t confuse their stuff with Folgers. And I’m starting to bore myself – the bottom line is Third Coast Coffee beans will cost you $11.99 for twelve ounces at Whole Foods or Central Market, but $9 for sixteen ounces at their South Congress roasting facility. For the exact same stuff. I think Forrest Gump once said, “I’m not a smart man, but I know what a good coffee deal is.” They’re open weekdays until 6, you won’t go wrong with the Yirgacheffe, and I’m just a big fan of their Third Coast Blend & classic Double French. And while you’re buying, you can enjoy a cup of whatever the staff’s brewing. There’s also a buck-off Yelp check-in coupon. Seriously, what gets better than that? Okay, maybe peas & carrots, lightly sautéed.

Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters – Menu with Prices – 945 Preston Ave, Charlottesville

Stopped in for an afternoon coffee on a whim and was very impressed. Parking in the lot out front was easy, although they have spots arbitrarily designated for the pharmacy next door so watch out. The inside space is really big – bigger than it seems from the outside. There are numerous seating options including quieter tables and larger communal spaces. They appear to roast all the coffee on premises and I saw them working on a few batches in the open area behind the dining room. They had an extensive menu with numerous beans and roasts as well as all your standard espresso offerings. We opted to try both the nitro and cold brew and got a glass of the former. We received friendly service and were served the coffee in a glass. It was a pleasant experience and would be a great spot to bring friends and catch up or get some work done. A classic coffee shop for sure.

Café Triangle – Menu with Prices – 5000 Rue Buchan Lobby 1, Montreal

I love small neighborhood cafes. The Café Triangle is located near the Namur metro station and has just opened in the Triangle neighborhood. I stopped there on a Saturday morning quickly, the café straight out of the 80s was empty with just one of the co-owners in sight. The service was excellent, he took the time to explain to me the origin of their coffee and the rigorous process they put in place to be able to offer the best coffee beans to their customers. The mocha I ordered was excellent, I will return in a few weeks, just to give them time to settle.

Fatma’s Cozy Corner – Menu with Prices – 1532 Ursulines Ave, New Orleans

The cutest cafe ever! It felt cozy. People came in who obviously frequent the place and it made it feel like home. Everyone who worked there was extremely friendly and helpful. I can’t believe I hadn’t been here before when its so close to where I used to live. There’s couches in the front and there’s tables in the back. There’s a lot of space and it would be a great place to read or do some work. I got an iced coffee with soy milk and shared hummus and pita with my friend. It was delicious hummus and presented beautifully. It’s a coffee shop I would definitely return to! The sandwiches that some other people got were drool worthy and I wished I had been hungrier to try one. I will have to come back for breakfast to try one of those sandwiches!

Joe Van Gogh West End – Menu with Prices – 1114-B W Chapel Hill St, Durham

I was highly disappointed on my first stop in to this coffee shop. Not sure it’s worth entertaining a second visit with so many other coffee shops around. It’s a cute, hip place in an old gas station. Lots of natural light with a bright, airy vibe. There seemed to be a fair amount of tables in such a small space. Looked like it’s a popular place for people to work or study. The menu is very limited. There’s very little if any food on the menu and even traditional coffee drinks are limited. I ordered a large latte and a medium coffee (more on that below). The latte was $4 and totally flavorless (and textureless). For that price, you’d expect better espresso. Now to the coffee, I bought it for a young man outside that had asked me to buy him one as I walked in. It took me off guard, but once inside I realized of course I was going to. So I bring him his coffee and have him come in to fix it with cream and sugar if he’d like. You should have seen the condescension on the workers and fellow patrons faces. I’ve never been so ashamed by the pretentious attitudes of everyone in that situation. It was appalling. Especially for a coffee shop that is clearly pretending to be progressive. Learn to love your neighbor, Joe Van Gogh.

Verve Coffee Roasters – Menu with Prices – 500 Mateo St Unit 102, Los Angeles

Ok, if you enjoy drinking coffee (and getting work done) in a beautiful space, you would love Verve’s new location. Before you even walk in, there’s this really nice patio space that is dog friendly and has little bowls of water for your dog! And when you walk in, you realize how big the space is and there’s so many little areas that it can be hard to find the ordering station — but don’t be alarmed, it’s where the pastries are!! The interior is absolutely beautiful, it has this modern desert chic feel, huge windows that let in plenty of natural light, lots of small tables as well as community tables to do work on. There even a second floor with more tables. The only thing is that if you’re going to do work here, is that it’s kind of hard to find an outlet, but just charge your laptop before going, and you’ll be fine. You just probably won’t stay the whole day. As for the coffee, I mean if you have been to the other Verve’s, you know the deal. So I actually tried the Guatemala drip coffee after being introduced to drip coffee by friend a couple weeks ago, and it was delicious! The tableware that the coffee came in had some serious Japanese vibes, which I really digged. They even give you a card that tells you about the coffee beans and the flavor notes in case you forgot after you ordered. And ok let me tell you, that coffee was really strong!!! Before I even finished half of it, I was feeling the caffeine jitters. The service was also great, the guy at the cashier (I didn’t get his name, but he had turquoise curly hair) was super friendly and was really helpful in helping me pick out a drink. I really enjoyed his enthusiasm! Yup, that was easily a 5/5 star experience, and I’m definitely coming back.

Austin Swing Syndicate Menu with Prices 2312 San Gabriel St, Austin

The Syndicate dances are an institution of the Austin swing/lindy scene. They’ve been going since 1999, and are still growing. I started going to the Thursday night dances at The Fed almost as soon as they started, though I took a hiatus for several years when I moved away to go to college. Now that I’m back, I go out almost every week! It’s a great group of people and an easy place to make friends. There’s a fantastic system in place for processing beginner dancers… and the consistency of this system over the past 10 years is definitely a major reason why swing dancing survived its “fad” status in Austin, and continues to attract new dancers. People hear about the Thursday dance, come early for the 8:15 beginner’s lesson, get hooked, and everyone tells them to take lessons from Four on the Floor (classes are conveniently held at The Fed on Tuesday nights). There are several great options in town for learning how to dance, but Four on the Floor has been going since 1997 (yes, I took their early classes in the Starlite Gallery), and is definitely a crowd favorite. There’s also The Lindy Project, Go Dance, not to mention tons of private instructors. The Thursday night dances are all-ages, smoke and alcohol-free, set in a beautiful historic mansion. No partner necessary! Cheap to get in, especially if you pay for a yearly membership. The Fed has a small private lot on 24th St., as well as some street parking, but most people try to park across the street at the bike shop’s parking lot. There’s usually a DJ, but sometimes there’s a live band for special events. There’s also a side room for dances other than swing/lindy, usually balboa, blues, or west coast swing. Variety is the spice of life, after all! There’s a beginner lesson for these alternate dances at 8:15, at the same time as the beginner swing lesson (in another room). Austin Swing Syndicate is involved in more than just the weekly dance. Special events like The Austin Lindy Exchange, workshops, competitions, and more bring dancers from around the world to Austin. I gave them a four out of five stars primarily because the very consistency which makes them such a great avenue for getting new dancers dancing, means that it can also be a rut, and people sometimes forget that Austin is the Live Music Capitol of the World. So many people only go to the Thursday night dance, which is safe, but sometimes boring. Please, visit www.austindance.net and go dance to some live music!

Social Coffee and Supply Co. – Menu with Prices – 5317 Wrightsville Ave, Wilmington

Such an adorable coffee shop! Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a coffee shop fanatic, so I was dying to try this newer shop which opened since I had last been in Wilmington. My friends had been posting pictures of the place for a while. The “theme” (greenery/plants everywhere, geometric shapes on the wall, wood trimmings–you get the picture) is a modern one you see in a lot in coffee shops these days. In my personal opinion/experience, I’ve found many of these to possess a pretentious undertone with their overpriced drinks and sometimes snobby staff. BUT, I did not experience that here! It feels homey in here thanks to the humble exterior and very literally, house-like building. I love that they have an extra room you can reserve for groups–the window looking into the extra room from the main space helps the aforementioned feeling I immediately got. They have couches, bar seating, and tables of different sizes within the modestly sized shop. The two best spots with outlets were taken, but I was able to find a spot at the counter which creates the “kitchen”/bar where the drinks are made. I thought it would be awkward to be so close to the staff the whole time, but it wasn’t. I wasn’t greeted upon arrival, but there was only one guy working and he was busy with a few drinks in queue. Their menu is amazing! So many drinks you won’t find on any street corner. I wish they sold flights so I could try them all! I opted for a summer special, the Dirty Demogorgon: iced chai latte, espresso, lavender. It wasn’t overly priced, the espresso was rich, and the lavender flavor just the right amount. I wish they had served it in a glass instead of a plastic cup since it was evident I would be staying a while (you know, laptop out & whatnot) but I suppose I should have asked. They don’t have much of a selection for food, just small pastries/snacks from outside businesses. No issues with the WiFi at all; it’s the perfect spot for working if you can get a table with an outlet. The small parking lot was full, but if this is the case, just roll out of the exit and make a quick right into the unpaved lot next door. I had originally given this place 4 stars in my mind, but as I’ve been writing, I realize that I really don’t have much to complain about! They thought of almost everything you could want in a coffee shop and implemented it well. I would definitely recommend.

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee – Menu with Prices – 4949 New Centre Dr, Wilmington

This is the cutest local chain coffee shop there ever was! I am in love with a good coffee, but a good coffee with a mission behind it? Sign. Me. Up. Not only is the vibe exactly what I want in a coffee shop, it’s got good coffee. Bonus! This one is a little hard to find because you look like you’re going to go and buy a Cadillac at first then you realize the coffee shop is next door. Once you figure out you don’t need to purchase a car you can breathe easy and get your heart pumping on caffeine. This space is so clean, bright, and white. I want to sit on my computer and work all day in there. The employees are the nicest and so upbeat. I ordered a chocolate muffin and a brown sugar cinnamon iced latte with almond milk (no soy). The coffee was good – too sweet for my taste but the name sounds sweet so I get what I asked for. I am interested in buying some coffee beans once I’m ready for more and can’t wait to brew it in the pour over!