Coffee Shops Across the Twin Cities - here I come!

Since I started PA school nearly 3 years ago I have "frequented" many many many many coffee shops. I have a unique appreciation for each of them. I have sorted them by price, location, hours of operation, environment, noise level, and the number of shots of espresso in the S/M/L beverages. I could probably write an analysis for City Pages if they asked.

All that to say, over time I have developed oddly good relationships with a handful of baristas who have seen me study Friday nights, Saturday nights, Sunday mornings, Valentine's day, New Year's Eve, on gorgeous sunny days, looking both wretchedly tired and suprisingly at peace. In fact today I am actually wearing a T-shirt from my MOST FAVORITE coffee shop, LuLu Beans, in Wilmar. Their bran muffins are so amazing that I had my family come out to visit mostly just to experience their goodness - they even beat Mrs. Buker's - and those are good.

As I near the end of my time in school they see the excitement (and stress) growing. Funny enough, I am now starting to be offered a free 'on the house' coffee as a graduation present. It's like the cities of Mpls, St. Paul, Bloomington, Edina, and Richfield are willing me towards graduation. I feel almost carried on by their encouragement. It is just such an odd and surreal feeling to have connections with total, but not total, strangers in the cities. It is very humbling to have a total stranger take interest in your boring life, to genuinely ask how things are going, and to think it's "so cool" I am doing this. Personally, I know it's not very cool, but I think people recognize it's a challenging thing and for some crazy reason admire a person that walks through it. We have bonded over grad school and beverages. Coffee is apparently the great uniter of us all ;)

So, thank you Twin Cites coffee shops for your encouragement, hours of operation, free samples, and wonderful friendships (the lady at the 54th and Lyndale Starbucks, the 494 and Penn Caribou barista, the Wilmar owner, the Nokomis Beach Cafe owner!). Hopefully one day I will be treating you, your kids, your neighbors, or somebody you know....because we all need a helping hand or a cup of coffee.