~Elf~

One of my favorite Christmas movies is "ELf." It's funny and heart warming. I want to share this funny scene in the movie where he visits a coffee shop. It always makes me laugh. 

 Video By Michael Edward

~Yiruma~

Have you ever heard of Yiruma? If not you have missed out on some great classical piano pieces. My favorite piano piece is "River Flows in You." It is very soothing and I love to listen when I am in a coffee shop or at home drinking a cup of coffee. 

 Below is the piano piece by SweetPinkxPL T

Below is me playing the piano to "River Flows in You," by Yiruma

~Better Together by Jack Johnson~

This is "Better Together" by Jack Johnson. This is definitely good coffee shop music. Enjoy!

~Coffee Cartoons~

I found some cute coffee cartoons I thought you would enjoy.

 

photo from mooseheadcoffee.wordpress.com

Photo by www.glasbergen.com

Photo from www.condenaststore.com

~Cake Boss~

Last night Buddy Valastro from TLC's Cake Boss came to Topeka Kansas, and guess who got to see him? Me!

The popular baker put on an interactive event at the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC). Buddy showed the audience how to do tips, techniques and tricks with cakes and cupcakes and answered all kinda of questions. He had the audience participate in competitive events to win some of his cakes and Cake Boss merchandise. People in the audience were selected by Buddy to compete against other audience members in hula hooping, dancing, and other contests. People laughed and it was a great time. 

At the end of the show people who purchased VIP tickets got to meet and take pictures with Buddy and I was one of those people! It was an awesome experience and I got his new cook book that was signed by him. It was a night I won't ever forget. 

I have to say he's a very nice guy. 

Here is one of his many wonderful recipes; Buddy shows how to make tiramisu which is a coffee cake. 

~ Blackbird café~

Tonight I tried something new, and from a coffee shop I've never been to. I went to Blackbird café here in Topeka Kansas. I've been doing some research seeing what kind of coffee shops are around my town because I tend to go to just a couple in my area on a regular basis. I was surprised to see there are more than I thought. I stumbled upon Blackbird café which is fairly close to where I live and work. It's a cute little coffee shop in a little shopping area. I have personally always loved those kind of stores so I thought I'd check it out. 

The outside of the store was exactly what I imagined. I felt like is was in another town on vacation, which is always a nice feeling for me. The coffee shop has a few sets of chairs and tables on the outside for people to chat with friends and family, have a cup of warm coffee and enjoy the night sky. Although, right now it's a little cold out for that. 

When I went in I was not as impressed. The atmosphere changed for me. I went from thinking the place was adorable to "ugh," if that is a feeling. The place was plain and didn't have a lot of decoration. Also their comfortable chairs are a little outdated. However, I decided to give the place a chance anyway. 

When I went up to the counter I had no clue what to order so I asked the bartista lady what she recommended. She kind of went on a rant of every coffee they have which is not what I was asking but nonetheless she was helpful. After telling me about all the espressos and lattés I ordered a hazelnut latté. I must it was delicious and I was surprised I liked it. 

I'm not a big hazelnut fan. I've always been a person who is scared to try something new but I'm glad I did because I came across something I really like. I will definitely go back to Blackbird café. The bartistas are friendly and the drink was great.  

~Panera Bread~

If you ever are looking for a great place to have a meal or a cup of coffee with friends you should go to Panera Bread. I can say a lot of good things about Panera Bread. They have variety of foods. They serve breafast, lunch, and dinner. They have all kinds beverages (soda, tea, and coffee). My favorite things to order are their hot chocolate, green tea, blueberry bagel with cream cheese, and Frontega Chicken Panini. I've liked everything I ever tried from there. 

Here is a map showing the Panera Bread location in Topeka Kansas 

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~Why You Should Drink Coffee~

11 Reasons Why You Should Drink Coffee Everyday According to The Huffington Post:

1. Americans get more antioxidants from coffee than anything else. 

2. Just smelling coffee could make you less stressed. 

3. Coffee could lessen the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 

 

4. Coffee is great for your liver (especially if you drink alcohol). 

5. Coffee can make you feel happier. 

6. Coffee consumption has been linked to lower levels of suicide. 

7. Coffee could reduce your chances of getting skin cancer (if you're a woman).

8. Coffee can make you a better athlete.

9. Coffee can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. 

10. Drinking coffee can help keep your brain healthier for longer. 

11. Coffee may make you more intelligent. 

Moral of the story is coffee is the best thing ever!

~Colbie Caillat And Gavin Degraw~

Two of my favorite music artists are Colbie Caillat and Gavin Degraw. They have really unique voices. They're great individually but also sing really well together. I would say Colbie Caillat's genre would be easy listening/pop and Gavin Degraw's is easy listening/rock. I love their music and I would consider it coffee shop music. Take a listen. I think you will enjoy it.  

~World Cup~

World Cup is a facinating coffee shop, at least the one here in Topeka Kansas is. Facinating how? I guess that can be taken a couple of ways, but in this case facinating means odd. In all honesty I have only been to this coffee shop once before going again this weekend. It's probably not fair of me to judge the place because I have only been there a couple times, but I feel like I should tell my opinion anyway then you can go and decide for yourself if you like it, that is if you have not ever been there. 

To simply put it I think the place is crowded, is not decorated well, and the coffee is ok. However, the bartistas are friendly and helpful. They do have a good variety of food and drinks to choose from that other people may enjoy. I can't give my opinion on their food becasue I have not tried any. I have had a couple of coffee drinks and was not impressed by the taste of either. I recently tried the Dark Chocolate Mocha. I expected it to be more rich and have more of of chocolate taste. It did not which disappointed me. As far as the design of the building, the outside is decieving. 

The place looks bigger on the outside then it is.When I walked in I felt cramped and that was with nobody in line. I can only imagine how it is when people are lined up. There is not much room to walk at all. It made me want to hurry up, get my coffee and leave. I like coffee shops that fell the opposite of that. 

I think that is the main reason I don't like the place. It's the atmosphere. It's really unfortunate too becasue the atmosphere makes it hard for college students like me to want to study there and it is so close to campus. I would personally rather drive 15 minutes away to another coffee shop then hang out there, but just because I don't like it does not mean others won't. In fact I know some people who do enjoy going and hanging out there. 

~Gingerbread Latté~

The holidays are just around the corner and as I'm counting down the days until Thanksgiving and Christmas I realize I have not had a real holiday drink and by holiday drink I mean something that tastes like Christmas in a cup. The number one place I know where to get that kind of drink is indeed Starbucks. I know I write about Starbucks a lot but it is my favorite place to get coffee. Right now they have a nice variety of holiday drinks to try. There is the Caramel Brulee Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Eggnog Latte, and the Gingerbread Latte which is the one I will be discussing. 

I have been wanting to try this drink for about a week now. I have seen several of my friends and family post on their social sites about wanting one or how good it is. Someone I follow on Instagram posted a picture with the festive red cup saying, "Baby it's cold outside, but I have my Gingerbread Latte so it's all good." Also one of my friends on Twitter said, "Now I want a Gingerbread Latte. Yummm." All the posts made me finally break downn and get one. 

 It was nice because I had a birthday reward from Starbucks so my drink was free. Let me explain how that works. Starbucks has a reward system. What you do is purchase a gift card and put money on it, then you go to the Starbucks website and register your card. Starbucks explains how it works on the website but if you have any questions you can ask me or your local Starbucks bartista. 

 Starbucks is absolutely crazy this time of year. It seems like everybody in town feels the need to get coffee. Whhen I went this afternoon to get some I had to wait in the drive thru for awhile. I'm guessing you are probably wondering why I didn't go in? Well it was busy inside too. It wouldn't have made a difference. Anyway, when I finally got up to the menu board to order I saw all the wonderful holiday options which made come close to changing my order, but then I thought I should stick with what I was originally going to get. I thought I can always come back and try something else later. 

 Long story short, I loved the Gingerbread Latte and I will get it again. It lives up to the name and reviews I have read. Everyone should try this heavenly holiday drink and get the biggest size. It's incredible and perfect for the holiday season.

~Classic Bean~

Have you ever been to Classic Bean? If not you should go. I absolutely love the atmosphere of the place. It's warm, cozy and welcoming. It is also very spacious and has a lot of choices on where to sit. There's comfy couches and chairs and then there are regular tables and chairs for people to eat at. It's a wonderful place to study or just hang out with friends. I think it's especially nice this time of year when it's cold out. There's a holiday feel to the coffee shop because there is a really beautiful Christmas tree shining through their shop window. 

I've been to Classic Bean a couple times before.The bartistas have always been friendly. I have always gotten a caramel iced latte with whipped cream, but this time I had a cinnamon latté with soy milk. Doesn't sound very good right? It was not good so I gave it to my sister. She liked it. I like really sweet coffees and to me it tasted plain. There was no flavor to it. 

I plan to go again. There's so many food and beverages to try. They have a lot of different options. I recommend everyone going there. You won't regret it. 

Christmas Music Podcast with Bradley and Jacqui

Listen to this episode

~ JAVA BAR ~

About a few years ago I was introduced to this little coffee shop called Java Bar. In all my years living in Topeka Kansas I had never heard of it until a friend took me there. I personally don't think a lot of people know about it, maybe it's because the outside sign says "ICE & OLIVES." The shop has two sides to it. One side is a deli and the other is the coffee shop.

They have delicious foods like soups, quesidillas, and sandwiches with sides such as chips, cole slaw, and potato salad. Then they have desert pastries and more. Of course they also have coffee drinks and teas.

The atmosphere is relaxing and comfortable. They have tables and chairs for people to eat at, or if people just want to get together to have a drink and visit with friends and family, but they also have an excluded corner where there's a big comfy red couch. I tend to sit there and study a lot.

If you ever want to check it out it's on 3627 SE 29th Street Topeka, KS 66605. Their hours on this website. http://www.iceandolives.com/#!hours-/-contact-us

~ Funny Story ~

I have a funny story to share. The other night I went to the store to buy some groceries for the week and as I was walking down the aisles I came across coffee. I wasn't planning on buying any considering I'm always going to coffee shops and buying my specialty drinks. However, I thought I'd save some money for once by purchasing some I can make at home. Well the funny thing is I ended up buying the wrong kind. 

I ended up getting Starbucks Caffe Verona Dark Roast instead of Starbucks Caffe Verona Ground. The difference is my coffee maker wont brew roast unless it's grounded. So when I went to make a cup the other night I found out I couldn't use what I bought. I tried grounding it myself by putting the coffee beans in a ziplock bag and trying to crush them with a knife over the kitchen counter but they were just too hard. Needless to say I was disappointed. Maybe this story is more sad then funny.

Anyway, you would think a coffee fanatic as myself would know what kind of coffee to buy, but you have to understand I've NEVER bought coffee for myself. I guess because I've never had to until now. Until last year I hadn't owned a coffee maker, but last November on my birthday I recieved one as a present and along with it I got a bag of Starbucks Dark Cafe Verona coffee. I had never had it before but I ended up really liking it. I don't drink coffee all the time so the bag lasted me most of the season. 

You may be wondering why I am just now buying coffee. Well as it gets cooler out I'm wanting that steamy hot cup of coffee in the morning to get through my day. Personally I'd rather have coffee at my house then have to rise early, drive across town and wait 20 mins in line just to order coffee. It's a time saver really to just make it at home. I learned a valuable lesson, make sure you know there are different types of coffees out there and make sure you buy the right one because sadly I wasted $10.

   The wrong coffee

~ Norah Jones ~

Today I woke up not feeling well. I had the worst headache, sinus problems and asthma problems so I stayed home from school and work. Whenever I'm home feeling sick I tend to just stay in bed and listen to music. There's not really anything else to do, plus I find listening to music helps me get my mind off how bad I'm feeling. It's an escape and makes me feel a little better. Most of the time I'll put on Pandora instead of listening to my iTunes music. Of course I like my own music, but I suppose part of me likes not knowing what song is going to play next.

So I was listening to the coffee shop soundtrack station and came across several music artists I enjoyed, but there was one specific person that stood out. Her name is Norah Jones. I've heard her music before but had forgotten about her until today. Listening to her song "Don't Know Why" helped me recall why I liked her so much in the first place. She's an unusual artists. I think Norah Jones is unusual  because I haven't heard many artists that have her same sound and style. Normally when I hear an artists I can say they sound a little like another artists, but she's different.  She brings a different sound to music. She strips down her music to help audience relate. I definitely recommend listening to some of her music because she has won Best Jazz Vocalist and Best Original Composition.

I decided to look up information to understand a little about her background how she grew up because she intrigued me. I  found out she had to make her way up in music and earned her place. When she was young she sang in church choirs and took piano lessons. She went to the Dallas Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and majored in jazz piano at the University of North Texas. I think the most interesting fact about her is she waited on tables and sang jazz standard in local clubs. She worked hard to get where she is and I think for that she deserves to be recognized. 

http://youtu.be/8u1DdbNC7DM

~ The Refresher ~

Ok so recently I've been obsessed with the Cool Lime Refresher from Starbucks. I've gotten one almost everyday within the past two weeks. You could say I'm addicted. I guess I like this drink because it not only has a wonderful taste, but on top of that gives you energy. If you're a college student like me you can use all the energy you can get. I don't know what it is about the refresher but it helps me through the day. It gives me that boost I need and makes me feel overall perkier. 

To give you an idea of what the Cool Lime Refresher is, the Starbucks website states Cool Lime Refreshers are made with real fruit juice and green coffee extract. The ingredients includes lime, citrus and hints of mint and cucumber, but I can't taste the mint. It taste more like limeade having that little tartness.

This drink comes in 4 different sizes, yes I said 4. I say that because most people think there's only 3 sizes. There's the tall size (12 oz) which is considered a small, a grande size (16 oz) which is a medium, a venti (24 oz) which is a large, and then TRENTA (30 oz) which is extra large. I recently found out about the trenta size. Anyway, I get that size because the bartistas likes to fill the cup with ice and I get less of the drink itself but I like lots of ice. However, if you want to save money and go for a smaller size just ask for "light" ice so you get more of the drink. 

The price is to be expected. Depending on the size you get it ranges from like $2.95 to $4.45. It's worth the money though. I also love that they are healthy for you. The calories range from 40 to 105. That's not too bad if you ask me. 

~ It's That Time of Year ~

It's that time of year again! It's my favorite time of year. It's the time of year where my favorite season aproaches, Fall. I think I can speak for most of us when I say it's time for that brisk breeze cool weather. A lot of us are ready for sweaters, boots, scarfs, corn mazes, hay rides, pumpkins, crunchy colorful leaves, bonfires, and everything else that comes along with the season. At least I know I am. I've never been a fan of the heat though, and I love the cool weather.

Part of the reason Fall is my favorite season is because of the seasonal coffee. There is one particular coffee drink I wait all year for and I have to say it is one of my favorite coffee drinks ever. What is this drink you ask? It is is the famous "pumpkin spice latte."

If you're a regular customer like me you know the "pumpkin spice latte" is from Starbucks. Starbucks is one of my favorite coffee hangout spots and I go there at least 2 times a week, but as Fall arrives I tend to go more like 4 days a week. Yes, you could say I'm a tad obsessed. I really like it though. I guess I not only go there for the drinks, but I also enjoy the environment. The small dainty shop has a warm and cozy feel to it, plus the aroma of coffee fills the air.  

Anyway, the "pumpkin spice latte" is heaven. It screams Fall. The best way I can descibe the drink is that it's taste is creamy, sweet, and kind of tastes like pumpkin pie. If you like pumpkin then you'll like this drink and of course the color of the drink is orange which kind of makes it fun. I personally don't feel like I'm giving this wonderful coffee drink justice. Go try it for yourself and then you can thank me later. 

~ Michael Bublé Concert ~

Last night at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO the wonderful, talented, and handsome Canadian Michael Buble performed. I was one of the lucky individuals who had the privelidge of attending his concert. I must say the man is just as good live as he is on his albums. I was impressed for the most part, but there is one thing I would have changed about my experience. I was shocked to find out Buble has a crude sense of humor. It was dissapointing because I thought for a guy who has a classy sense of style in fashion and music his character would be too. Somehow I was able to overlook that factor though because his voice is simply dreamy.

If you aren't familiar with Michael Buble's music you should know his genre of music would probably be considered easy listening pop. Although some people call it jazz. It's like some of the famous American singers from the 1950's such as; Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, and Dean Martin.

At the concert Michael Buble sang many classic well known songs such as "Fever," "Feeling Good," and "Try a Little Tenderness." He also sang some of his new songs from his recent album "To be Loved." My favorites that he sang from his recent album were "Close Your Eyes," and "It's a Beautiful Day." All these songs were sang great. The slow songs were soothing and pleasing to the ear. The fast songs made the audience dance and smile. His music overall makes you feel happy. I'm not sure how else I can explain it. I would definitley reccomend listening to his music if you haven't already.

My favorite part of the concert was when Buble sang "To Love Somebody," and it's not because that's my favorite song of his. I liked this part of the concert because he intereacted with the audience. He walked down from the stage and throught the audience to another stage in the back that had circle like shape. I like to look at it like he wanted everyone of his fans to experience him live close up. He certainly has a way with people. At the end of the song confetti hearts shooted down from the ceiling all around the building. The experience was truley remarkable and it's something I won't ever forget, especially since it was my first concert. If you ever have a chance to attend one of his concert go! You won't regret it. 

Video Link

~ Introduction ~

Hello everybody!

My name is Jacquelyn Savage. I was born and raised in Kansas and am currently a full-time student at Washburn University. I plan to graduate in May 2015. On my blog I will talk about coffee and music. Why? These are two of my favorite things in the world. Most of my free time includes going to coffee shops and playing/listening to music. I find these things relaxing, and after all I am a college student. 

I am excited to recommend good coffees to try, featured music artists, and favorite coffee spots. My goal along the way is to introduce you to music artists you may not have heard of and maybe make some of you non-coffee drinkers coffee addicts.