According to my 23andMe results, my genetic makeup has made me pre-disposed to be likely to consume more coffee than the average 23andMe customer. Does this really mean anything? No. But it has given me an excuse to rationalize my coffee consumption.
Continue reading “Coffee: By Whatever Beans Necessary”
It’s no secret that I love coffee. It’s a love story that I began to tell here, but like most love stories, there are many layers. My caffeine addiction spans far and wide across many varieties and blends. I don’t discriminate from Starbucks to Dunkin’ to a $1 McCafe. However, like my eating adventures, I’ve started a journey to seek out the local businesses that I can support with every latte, macchiato, and dark roast I consume.
Continue reading “Uncovering The Hidden Coffee Gems”
Growing up I had this idea about Troy, New York. The idea was that it was a place I didn’t want to visit. Today, I have a different idea. Troy, the Collar City, is a place that I want to visit, with shops and restaurants I need to try. The list of places I want to visit is growing at a faster rate than the free nights and weekends I have, but I have been able to check a few spots off the list.
Lucas Confectionery Wine Bar
When a gift certificate to Lucas Confectionery came into my possession it was possibly the best thing to happen in a long time. I had been wanting to go to this wine bar in Troy, New York since I first walked past it in June but just did not feel like spending the money. So, naturally when a $50 gift certificate made it’s way into my possession I was so excited. The inside of Lucas Confectionery is dark, but candlelight sprinkled throughout gives it the kind of ambience you would expect from a wine bar. We sat at what felt like our own private bar, complete with coat hooks and surrounded by bricks emblazoned with the word Troy. We ordered one glass of red and one of white, and mongers choice, a selection meats and cheeses. Our plate came with a huge basket of bread, one in which I thought there was no way we would eat it all. I was extremely wrong. I will be heading back to Lucas Confectionery, and next time, I am getting dessert.
Troy Kitchen
Troy Kitchen is essentially a food court for people who want to eat something a little bit better than Taco Bell or a slice of pizza. Inside there are a variety of food stands to choose from including Korean BBQ and Mexican. But what I went to Troy Kitchen for was something a little sweeter, and I found that at the Butter and Sugar Company. I proceeded to eat was easily the most amazing carrot cake of my entire life.
Little Pecks
I am always looking for local coffee shops. Little Pecks is actually connected to Lucas Confectionery and another local restaurant I’d like to try, Pecks Arcade. I went to Little Pecks on a snowy Saturday morning to meet a friend for coffee. I was expecting a small cafe with only a few tables, but what I found was a bright and colorful dining area with a few tables, and a large back room with a collection of longer tables. With brick walls, plenty of plants, a dripping water wall, and even pineapple wallpaper, the aesthetic of Little Pecks is one in which you could easily spend a whole day working on your laptop while sipping a latte and never want to leave.
Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time (and money) at Starbucks. I spend most of my day scavenging LinkedIn for jobs and editing cover letter after cover letter, so I like to get out of my house and embrace the application process over a caffeinated beverage. After reading a recent Times Union Article about some new projects in Downtown Albany I felt inspired to step out of the Starbucks bubble and try out something a bit more local.
