GMWS- Coffee shops

Rome, Italy 2004: My unstable romance with espresso begins. Before this trip I drank coffee like a puerto rican, "cafe con leche" little bit of coffee, lots of cream lots of sugar. In Rome, it was just cappuccino. I never turned back and had an addiction to point where I would get terrible headaches without a minimum of 3 shots of espresso every day. 

I had to cut back. 

Coffee shops are a staple for a social life, in my humble opinion. If it's before 6pm, a bar is just not the right setting for gatherings. A coffee shop that also serves beer is another story.

Camino

I wish I could remember my first time at Camino bakery. I feel like I've just always been going even though I've only lived here for 2 1/2 years. It's where I study best, it's where I have the best friend dates and where I write the best. 

I've never had anything I didn't love. Especially now since they make their own peanut butter syrup to flavor coffees. If I could afford to eat here every day, it would. But unfortunately being such an artisan bakery, they tend to be a little pricey. In the truest sense, you get what you pay for. Very original pastries and very fresh coffee. I've never been seat-less or had to wait more than 15 minutes for anything. Unless you come during 1/2 price cheesecake Tuesdays. Then you better plan to wait. 

You also get to see some very exotic flowers that decorate the space. The walls are a chalkboard to tell you the weekly specials which are really great when you are on a budget!

Monday 

$1 off NC beers

Tuesday

1/2 price cheesecake

$1 off Bell's beer and wine glasses

Wednesday

$1 off craft cans 

Free wine tasting 6-8pm

Thursday

$1PBR, $1.50 Tecate

$4 glasses of Spanish Bubbly

Sunday

2 for 1 bread

$5 mimosas

Peanut Butter Mocha & a Cinnamon Roll

Krankies

When I first moved to Winston Salem I was desperately in search of a hang out spot separate from school. I brought a few friends to a day long study session in Krankies and felt right at home. Unlimited internet and caffeine is all you can ask for when you are studying for finals.

Krankies offers more than just good coffee. Great coffee! Such great coffee that it is packaged up and sent to local coffee shops, restaurants and markets. Try to go somewhere local that serves coffee and not see the name, "Krankies".
Below, David Franklin, is roasting batches of beans for packaging. To the right are fresh green coffee beans.

The smell of sour roasted coffee beans wafted down the hall to the exhibit room. The very first exhibit I experienced here I have never forgotten. Evan Hawkins, Horse in Motion in 2011. The room was filled with framed photos of the Horse in Motion with a photo of the person with the tattoo next to it. When I entered the room and figured everything out I was speechless! All I can think about was "Why didn't I think of that!?" And as anyone who has read Save the Cat knows, that's a sign of a great idea. 

Krankies offers a great selection of craft beers as well as your normal caffeinated beverages. They offer pastries as well. They do not have the same selection as Camino in that sense, but the space is much larger for bigger meetings and even live music or stand up. 

My treat: Session Black Lager from Oregon, chocolate chip cookie and pumpkin bread.

One thing I absolutely love about going to our local coffee shops is that you will always see someone you know. And in my case, I chose to go to Krankies on a day that Summer Shelton just so happened to stop by. Summer is a UNCSA alumni who is now steady working in the industry based out of New York. She most recently produced Goodbye To All That, directed by Angus McGlaughlin (who I bumped into at the Farmer's market in an earlier post). That was my first non school related film internship. Summer is from Mount Airy, NC and finds herself visiting Winston Salem quite often.

Summer Shelton

Washington Perk

One of the new editions to our local coffee shop club is the new "Downtown Perk" on 4th street. A local grocery store and sand which shop, conveniently located in the heart of downtown for the residents.  Open as late as 10pm some nights, I have found it useful when I don't want a full fledged meal in the middle of a location scout downtown.

Washington Perk on Acadia st. is more of my hangout because it is about 2 blocks away from my apartment and just as close to UNCSA. WP is more of a deli and market than a coffee shop, matter of fact their options for caffeinated drinks is a little on the limited side. But if you have someone in your group that is looking for more of a meal than pastries this is your spot.  

I intended on taking a picture of my hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie, but I got ahead of myself and dove in. The only option for sweets this day was cookies and muffins. I wasn't hungry enough for a sand which but if I am I will definitely swing by here just before I visit Swains (later post).

PS. This is my 100th post! And I think it's fitting that it's about coffee because it's something I love and also something that made some of my posts possible.