The Great Coffee Adventure: Just a wedding photographer + her coffee-enthusiast husband on an adventure through Pennsylvania; discovering, photographing and otherwise enjoying the unique, independently-owned coffeeshops and cafes of our great state. Coffee makes us happy.
It’s Valentine’s Day. Duh. Everyone that is normal and attached (romantically) gets to blog about it. I am quite attached-cemented-covenanted-married for life and incredibly happy about that, but we do things a little bit differently in our house. Sometimes we celebrate special days, even *gasp* Valentine’s Day… a few days later. Like this year. Between work and college, our Valentine’s Day date has been scheduled for the weekend. I kinda like that. Less crowds.
Consequently, instead of a notably long recitation of all the things that I love about my ever-more-amazing husband, you get a visit to a coffee shop on the blog today! Coffee & love go together. I mean, really, I just blogged about a first date in a coffee shop with the man I married. Coffee almost is love!
I found this coffee shop in a touristy brochure. It seems very 1990′s. I am the girl that used to read AAA guidebooks for fun. Now I just scour the Internet for new places to visit. However, this little gem of a coffee shop? I found it because somehow I find checking in to hotels incredibly discomfiting and really, why does it take so long anyways? Enter name, swipe card, give key = all of thirty seconds in my world. But noooo, fifteen minutes later, my husband is still standing there, wallet ready, and I’m wandering around the lobby looking for something–anything–to take my mind off the awkward pauses in conversation over by the hotel check out desk. Long story short, I found a brochure. The brochure led us here.
I knew immediately that I would have a difficult time choosing. Caffe 101 has breakfast and lunch foods, specialty baked items and Hershey’s ice cream!
My favorite aspect of Caffe 101′s sunny homestyle decor is their historic wall mural. This wall mural captures the little village of Boiling Springs, circa 1906. There’s Caffe 101 right on the corner!
This place was full of wood accents, from the perfectly natural hardwood floors, to the varied wooden chairs. Shades of browns and yellow brightened my mood just looking at it. Some yellows scream in your face, some are barely alive, but these yellows made me hungry. Golden, buttery, sunny yellow walls that light up with the morning sunlight.
When we arrived, there were folks seated around the cafe filling their bellies with delicious-smelling food, but we opted for only a little snack & some coffee. In our minds, it was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. However, it is always the right time for coffee!
Left – Brandon’s Chocolate Raspberry coffee. He absolutely loved this brew. His words, “This is the BEST Chocolate Raspberry coffee that I’ve ever had!” The flavors were light, not too cloying to overpower the pungent coffee. Even I appreciated it, and usually I don’t do chocolate & fruit flavored coffee.
Right – My Hazelnut Latte. Foamy on top, lightly flavored, and light on the espresso, too. Paired nicely with my scone.
These cozy chairs were popular during our visit. I finally caught a moment that someone wasn’t sitting in them! And through those tall windows, there is one large and happy patio. If only we didn’t visit in January, albeit with lovely weather for a January day.
The other highlight of our visit was this sandwich. We sipped coffee, chatted, held hands and sat in silence observing our surroundings — because that’s what we do in coffee shops. Time passed and our stomachs reminded us that it was now close to the luncheon hours. Brandon disappeared for a few minutes and reappeared bearing this combination. The BBQ Chicken Sandwich that I was tempted to dismiss on first glance (because I’m averse to anything that hints of soggyness), but it only took one bite. Grilled chicken breast, spicy BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and that one surprising ingredient that melded it all together into deliciousness – slices of fresh tart apples. Alternate with the salty potato chips and this became a memorable lunch.
One more look around before we go on our merry way.
As you step outside of Caffe 101, you see the most adorable little lake. I believe it is called the “Children’s Pond.” I wonder what inspired that name….
Calm waters, whispering breezes and clouds blanketing the sky. It’s a restful and picturesque place, this little village of Boiling Springs.
We meandered across the bridge, found the exact spot that the mural’s photograph was taken (or so we think) and then found this:
The Appalachian Trail. That famous footpath that stretches from Maine to Georgia. We wondered aloud how long it would take to hike the entire trail (the answer: between five to seven months). Then we talked of my childhood vacations that consisted of hiking national park trails. My dad would be shocked, considering my constant complaints, but those hikes are some of my favorite memories. They inspired my first love in photography, nature photography and gave me opportunity to see the most glorious places across America. So Brandon and I dreamed a dream together: of hiking. Not hiking the Appalachian trail (we’re not crazy), but hiking somewhere. Not hiking now: because it’s like 20 degrees (we’re not crazy), but maybe when the weather gets warm. Of course, we dreamed these things while swinging on a porch swing, and the irony was not lost on us.
If we don’t become avid hikers, we’ll at least be walkers. The kind of folks that stroll by gazebos and quack at ducks and make up stories about historic houses that we pass, and then stop for coffee at a cute little place nearby. Like Caffe 101.
Don’t miss a chance to stop at this charming little spot for breakfast, lunch or a coffee-fueled stroll around the lake!
Caffe 101
101 Front Street
Boiling Springs, PA
(717) 254-6121
Check out their website and like them on facebook!
Stay classy!
~Naomi Elle