Clueless about the best way to meet people and get to know a new city? There's a simple way to figure out where the best spot to go later in the evening is, or better yet, to understand how things work. Just head to a local cafe, and get the best insight on how the country you're in operates. Learn if people are leisurely or rushed just by watching them drink some coffee.
In fact, it's easy to learn about a place by studying the caf? lifestyle. For example, if you're in the United States, in most any city that's not a New York or a San Francisco, you're going to find that the way that most people do coffee is as fast as they possibly can. From driving through the window at the local Starbucks to a number of to-go options in malls and shopping centers, coffee isn't so much an experience to be savored, but a substance to be consumed as quickly as possible. It seems that Starbucks has been responsible for introducing concepts like flavors and soy milk to suburban areas, though, and even Dunkin Donuts has had to step up their game and finally offer espresso.
One spot in the United States where the caf? lifestyle is slightly more thriving that isn't New York or San Francisco is Portland, where the rain and dreary weather make it pretty much essential to cuddle up with a warm, caffeinated beverage. A lot of places in the world have coffee as a major part of keeping warm, including in The United Kingdom, where a cup of tea might be preferred, but coffee, especially Italian espresso, is finding its stronghold.
Of course, hop across the pond to The United States, and you're going to find that things are a little different. People actually go to drive-through windows at Starbucks because they don't have the extra couple of minutes to get out of the car on the way to work, and even places like McDonald's have taken to serving Newman's Organic coffee because somehow Americans have learned that they like the taste of better coffee, but they don't really understand that the taste is only half of the experience. So while you can get a decent cup of coffee even at a rest stop in New Jersey now, it doesn't mean it comes with remotely the same ambiance as a country where the caf? lifestyle actually matters.
The concept of snacks coming with a coffee isn't just something that happens in the Northern Hemisphere. Down south in Argentina, a country of immigrants, cafe culture is also alive and bustling. But in Argentina, especially in the capital city of Buenos Aires, it's about more than just sitting down and having an Italian-style coffee. There's usually a small glass of soda water, three or four cookies, and even in some bars, some chips or a small sandwich. It's a pretty great deal, and no wonder that it seems that from the hours of two until eight in the evening, cafes all over the city are packed with everyone from young soccer fans to elderly couples hanging out and enjoying their coffee and snacks.
It says a lot about a country when snacks come with your coffee. Because if someone's serving you enough food to nibble on for a couple of hours, they are not trying to throw you out. They're saying to stay, to sit awhile, to just relax. And that's an incredible and welcome change if you're used to a society of to-go and delivery. People genuinely do seem more relaxed places where the caf? lifestyle allows for leisure time. Everyone, from businessmen to aspiring young writers and artists, takes the time to sit down and have conversations or enjoy some private time. There's no societal penalty, it's just a legitimately nice time.
But as the world gets even smaller, countries influence one another even quicker, and the far-flung traditions become something more tangible. When Starbucks opened up in Buenos Aires, they made sure to include a latte with dulce de leche, the tasty local treat that's a version of caramel. So now that Starbucks knows that is a popular item down in Argentina, they might be bringing it to the United States as a flavor, just like pumpkin or hazelnut.
If you're traveling for business, visiting a different city for a little while, or relocating abroad, the best possible thing to do is to head to a popular local coffee spot. In just an afternoon, you'll learn more about a country by watching its citizens drink coffee and talk than you would from a whole stack of Lonely Planet guidebooks. - 2364
In fact, it's easy to learn about a place by studying the caf? lifestyle. For example, if you're in the United States, in most any city that's not a New York or a San Francisco, you're going to find that the way that most people do coffee is as fast as they possibly can. From driving through the window at the local Starbucks to a number of to-go options in malls and shopping centers, coffee isn't so much an experience to be savored, but a substance to be consumed as quickly as possible. It seems that Starbucks has been responsible for introducing concepts like flavors and soy milk to suburban areas, though, and even Dunkin Donuts has had to step up their game and finally offer espresso.
One spot in the United States where the caf? lifestyle is slightly more thriving that isn't New York or San Francisco is Portland, where the rain and dreary weather make it pretty much essential to cuddle up with a warm, caffeinated beverage. A lot of places in the world have coffee as a major part of keeping warm, including in The United Kingdom, where a cup of tea might be preferred, but coffee, especially Italian espresso, is finding its stronghold.
Of course, hop across the pond to The United States, and you're going to find that things are a little different. People actually go to drive-through windows at Starbucks because they don't have the extra couple of minutes to get out of the car on the way to work, and even places like McDonald's have taken to serving Newman's Organic coffee because somehow Americans have learned that they like the taste of better coffee, but they don't really understand that the taste is only half of the experience. So while you can get a decent cup of coffee even at a rest stop in New Jersey now, it doesn't mean it comes with remotely the same ambiance as a country where the caf? lifestyle actually matters.
The concept of snacks coming with a coffee isn't just something that happens in the Northern Hemisphere. Down south in Argentina, a country of immigrants, cafe culture is also alive and bustling. But in Argentina, especially in the capital city of Buenos Aires, it's about more than just sitting down and having an Italian-style coffee. There's usually a small glass of soda water, three or four cookies, and even in some bars, some chips or a small sandwich. It's a pretty great deal, and no wonder that it seems that from the hours of two until eight in the evening, cafes all over the city are packed with everyone from young soccer fans to elderly couples hanging out and enjoying their coffee and snacks.
It says a lot about a country when snacks come with your coffee. Because if someone's serving you enough food to nibble on for a couple of hours, they are not trying to throw you out. They're saying to stay, to sit awhile, to just relax. And that's an incredible and welcome change if you're used to a society of to-go and delivery. People genuinely do seem more relaxed places where the caf? lifestyle allows for leisure time. Everyone, from businessmen to aspiring young writers and artists, takes the time to sit down and have conversations or enjoy some private time. There's no societal penalty, it's just a legitimately nice time.
But as the world gets even smaller, countries influence one another even quicker, and the far-flung traditions become something more tangible. When Starbucks opened up in Buenos Aires, they made sure to include a latte with dulce de leche, the tasty local treat that's a version of caramel. So now that Starbucks knows that is a popular item down in Argentina, they might be bringing it to the United States as a flavor, just like pumpkin or hazelnut.
If you're traveling for business, visiting a different city for a little while, or relocating abroad, the best possible thing to do is to head to a popular local coffee spot. In just an afternoon, you'll learn more about a country by watching its citizens drink coffee and talk than you would from a whole stack of Lonely Planet guidebooks. - 2364
About the Author:
Damian Papworth adores coffee. As such he launched the One Cup Coffee Makers website. On this site you can read up on your 1 cup coffee maker
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