Tuesday, June 24, 2008

coffee du jour -- a vacation diary in caffeine doses

Day One:
Hit the road, Jack. Made a big serving of instant cappuccino for my travel mug and installed it in the cup-holder. Double-checked that the coffee filters were packed in the foodstuffs box. Drove and rode many, many miles over four states.

Day Two:
On the road again! Small cup of hotel-made coffee at breakfast, not bad. Filled travel mug with Maxwell House brewed in the in-room coffeemaker. Again, not bad. Satisfying.
Refilled at the first gas stop. Weather too hot to enjoy hot coffee. Photographed Amigo in front of two football stadiums, one baseball field, and one arena. Three states today.

Day Three:
On the road again, just can't wait to get...okay, enough already. Filled travel mug (again) from in-room machine after a small cup of basic brew from the hotel breakfast.
Took morning break at Dunkin' Donuts, picked up mid-morning snack of Munchkins and iced hazelnut coffee. Mmm, now this is good. Staff were friendly, too, welcoming these obvious out-of towners to their little corner store.

Day Four:
One cup in-room brew before leaving for ferry.
On ferry: They serve Starbucks! W00T! Had some with breakfast and another small cup later on with popcorn. Don't laugh -- I can't be the only person who likes popcorn and coffee together, can I? No, don't answer that. I managed not to spill either while watching a whale breech not far from the ship. Wow!

Day five:
Made a pot of my own in cottage kitchen. The sound and smell of brewing coffee; ah, how relaxing. Note to self: a souvenir coffee mug would be appropriate. Must keep eyes (and wallet) open for the perfect item.

Day six:
Played tourist. Tim Hortons' house blend for breakfast: hit the spot. Later on in Shelburne, picked up a cuppa from a cute little cafe called BeanDocks. Chose the blend "Jamaican Me Crazy" because Amigo was at his stubborn-teen worst. I felt much better after only half a cup. The barrista/ gift shop owner was really nice, too. Maybe the fact that I also bought a couple of souvenirs helped. But mmm, the power of a good cup of coffee. Can't underestimate it.

Day seven:
Made a pot of my own again in cottage kitchen. Foggy outside, everything's damp; there's something comforting about the home-away-from-home feeling of brewing coffee warming up the place. Still haven't found just the right souvenir mug.

Day eight:
Bought a cup of a fair trade blend at the Lunenberg Farmers' Market; liked it enough to buy a small bag of the beans. This is a souvenir that will keep on giving long after I get home. And speaking of souvenirs: Husband ducked into a gift shop on Bluenose Lane and found a white mug decorated with a lobster. It's a keeper!

Day nine:
Cup plus refills over breakfast at the local diner, flavored with wonderful local tales from the man at the booth beside ours. We learned when the lobster season runs, how large a swordfish can be, how the town's population is shrinking, and why three-story houses on the coast often have staircases in their attics. No, it's not because of flooding. What a delightful encounter!

Day ten:
Cuppa in the cottage kitchen: the last. Starbucks on the ferry. Foggy day -- if there are whales around no one would know it. Hot coffee helps cut through the damp feeling.


Day eleven:
Dunkin' Donuts, down the street from the hotel in downtown Portland. Got Amigo a coolatta, and a box of munchkins for the family. On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again....


Day twelve:
Hit the road, Jack...no coffee in hotel room? What kind of establishment is this? Oh, yeah, they have some in the lobby. No wonder their rates are so low.

Day thirteen:
Show me the way to go home! Home to my own coffeemaker, my own grinder (can't wait to make the Lunenberg coffee), my own mugs. Aaah.

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7 Comments:

Blogger kristina said...

I always wonder if I should bring my commuter cup when traveling far away----nothing tastes the same without it.

Peets is my brew.

6/24/2008 12:05 PM  
Blogger AudreyO said...

I'm smiling reading your post. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I love my hot tea and I love my Chai Lattes from Starbucks. They definately taste different if they are in a different cup. Great post. I found your blog through themomblogs.com

6/24/2008 2:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yummy - you and I would make great traveling partners - love how you handle your coffee, lady!

6/24/2008 9:30 PM  
Blogger Flea said...

Ahh! Nothing like sampling the coffees on the road. Thanks for sharing your slice of coffee Americana!

6/25/2008 12:05 AM  
Blogger Palymama said...

AH HA!! You enjoy your coffee on the road too!! You are obviously traveling - are you a VISIBLE traveler???
Myrna 50-something moms blog

6/25/2008 8:08 PM  
Blogger Sharon said...

You are my kind of traveler. I admire you for having the patience to grind your own beans at home -a rarity around here but enjoyed when someone takes the initiative.

6/27/2008 7:26 PM  
Blogger Florinda said...

Sounds like a fun trip! But I know what you mean about getting back to your own coffee and coffee grinder. We just came back from vacation last week ourselves, and it was nice to come home to my own special coffee blend.

7/01/2008 9:53 PM  

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