DETOUR: To Sweetwaters Cafe

It looks like plot #2 from the last blog entry has won the vote! This elevates the idea of writing in a coffee shop as the appropriate atmosphere.

Today I am visiting a friend on the north side of Ann Arbor and so I have taken a detour away from the Ypsilanti coffee shop list to explore Sweetwaters. This means that this coffee shop will probably never be the one I choose to write at regularly, but I do work down the street from it and have thought about moving to this side of town, so you never know in the future it might be.

The walls separating the shop from the outside are all glass windows, which made taking pictures a challenge, but it does add a bit of romanticism to the place when you look outside and see a snowy scene like today. In fact, I'm kinda loving it here right now watching the snow fall on the tree branches as the street light blinks on the corner of Plymouth and Green road.

Also, there is a patio at the back corner of the Sweetwaters that allows customers to sit outside when the weather is nice. I always like to have the option of being outside, this probably comes from all the days I am stuck at work or was stuck in school and am unable to go outside.

I am sitting at a high top table near an outlet today, but there is four arm chairs in front of the fireplace that also look like they would've been a cozy place to become lost in thought.

The drinks taste good and are moderately priced. I ordered a small soy Chai latte for about $3.65, which seems about average for coffee shop drinks. Oh! But did I mention the sweets?! I wish it wasn't right after Christmas and I wasn't trying to be good or I would order what looks like one of the most delectable frosted cupcakes or cheesecake I have ever seen! They also have chocolate cake called "OMG! Chocolate cake," which can be ordered al a mode and looks so delicious it would probably take an entire year to burn off the calories.

As far as the corporate factor Sweetwaters is a corporation, but its a corporation that started out and is only located in Ann Arbor...so it doesn't seem as evil as some corporations which put the little guys out of business.

I also love these cute little tea pots that they have on display. My friend told me she bought one for her sister for Christmas and they pop just enough color in the room, where I can see why they would make a great happy little gift.

Let's Take a Vote: Which would you read?

I have had my car back for about two weeks now, but due
to the holiday season I have been a bit of a slacker on the blog front.

First of all, I want to cheer for my two new followers...yay!! I really appreciate your support and look forward to any comments you want to make in the future. If anyone else out there is reading regularly and wants to become a follower your support would be appreciated as well. :)

Anyway, I am completely prepared for the holiday season now and in just a few days things will be calming down with the light work week after the holidays before next semester starts. I will continue exploring coffee shops, but I want to select ONE writing project...instead of the many I have started now.

This is where you come in dear reader, please help me decide:



1. The Underwater Story- a young adult trilogy I started to create when I was in the fifth grade about two teens and their younger siblings that discover their past is connected to a magical underwater world.

2. The Bitchin' Baristas- A slightly older series of twenty-somethin' girls who work in a coffee shop posing as our modern day Cinderellas. There is romance, there is heartbreak and there are typical jerks for bosses as they struggle
to earn a living.




3. Entanglement- A play that demonstrates we are all connected in a way where we are "entangled" with each other and the people of our past trap us like a web.

4. The Fairy Godmother Business- After going through multiple unsuccessful careers and relationships Lola decides to convince her friend Trish to
start T he Fairy Godmother business- a top secret business dedicated to creating, preparing and helping women through the experience of the perfect "Cinderella" evening.

Which are you most interested in reading? Vote on idea 1, 2, 3 or 4

Hanging Out in a Basement near a Church: The Common Cup

Starting tomorrow, I will be car-less indefinitely while it gets fixed at the collision shop, but don't worry I am fine. While it was parked in the street someone backed out of their driveway and hit it. Note to self: never park behind driveway EVER again.

Anyway, the reason I am telling you this is because it led me to the conclusion that even though I went coffee shop exploring last night, I decided to go again tonight and I ended up at the Common Cup on Washtenaw in Ann Arbor.

The Common Cup is hard to find because it is actually connected to a church building and the facade faces a church instead of the street. In fact, I think the only reason I was able to find it is I have been here in the daylight before with Carla about three and a half years ago. At that time, we knew where it was because her boyfriend worked here.

This also explains why I was not freaked out or lost when I walked in the doors that labeled the building only to find I must turn left and go down a small set of stairs in order to reach the coffee.

When I walked in I decided this may be my favorite place yet...everything a coffee shop should be....

The music is a bit loud, but it is mellow and seems to be drowning out other people's conversations. They have both comfortable chairs and tables, you just need to be a little careful about which one you sit at if you need an outlet to plug in your laptop. The lighting is just right, not fluorescent, but not too dark either. It is a warm soft lighting.

There is even a shelf of board games and a few books for visitors to enjoy, meaning this would be a good place to hang out with a group of friends or solitary. The internet took a minute to log on, but there was a flawless connection once I did. I lacked cell phone reception, I imagine this is because it is located in a basement, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

As you can see by the mug that they put my hot chocolate in (located at top of page) they are not skimpy with their drink portions..nor is it too expensive. I was able to get a hot chocolate and cookie for a little over four dollars! Plus, the barista served it to me at my table and don't you just love the classic chip on the left side of the dish?!

I think my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE thing about this place is that they exhibit the work of local artists and hang it on the wall as if it were being displayed at a museum! Other coffee shops such as The Plymouth Coffee Bean and The Ugly Mug display local artists work for sale, however the Common Cup is different because here there is an actual wall post about the artist and another one about the work they are exhibiting. The work is hung and lit on the wall in an arrangement that reminds me of a gallery.At first I saw all these pictures of crucifixes and was a little freaked out..."Well the coffee shop is connected to a church after all," I told myself as I silently vowed not to come here where crucifixes are judging me ever again. Then I saw the sign that said "40 Crucifixes" and the name of the artist, Mike Frieseman and realized it was not a hypercritical stare down of Jesus due to the place's location, but instead an aesthetically pleasing visual placed by a local artist.

The barista said they switch exhibits every month. A coffee shop mixed with a gallery? Am I in Heaven? What a very whimsical characteristic, don't you think?

As an article that hung on the wall here said, three years ago when I visited with Carla, the statement stands true: "There is nothing common about The Common Cup."

Perk and Brew: Where are you?

I ventured out to the next shop on my list tonight only to discover I might as well have been looking for the great pumpkin. The Perk and Brew does not exist...at least not that I could find.

The website I originally searched for coffee shops was a city search URL and the reason I was afraid that Perk and Brew did not exist was because there was no attached website. It turns out my suspicions were true.

I followed their directions to the tee...turn down Pine View Dr. off of Textile, then Madrona, then Eagle Crest Ct. Nothing was there. In fact, if to you these street names sound like neighborhood streets...it's because they are.

It was actually a very nice neighborhood though with big colonial style houses that I would not imagine existed in Ypsi, but I guess that is what you get when you go on adventures. You find out there is different sides to the places you are exploring.

The neighborhood was called Pine View Estates and a golf course intertwined between the houses...why is it neighborhoods that surround golf courses always seem to be the biggest in the city?

Anyway, there must have been a Perk and Brew coffee shop at some point for the city search to list it. Did the map and directions just lead me astray? Does anyone have any information on this? Does anyone know where it could be? If so please pass your knowledge along to me.

After looking up the hours to The Common Cup which closes at 5pm on Saturdays, I have found myself at the Starbucks on Washtenaw. I am going to wait and let you know about all the Starbucks in one blog, because after all a Starbucks is a Starbucks....or is it?

The Ugly Mug- it's a tricky little hole in the wall

Over Thanksgiving break, I was able to go on my second excursion on the hunt for the perfect writing spot. I chose The Ugly Mug located at 317 West Cross Avenue. It is open Monday-Friday 6am to 9pm and Saturday-Sunday 8am-8pm...hours I can live with, plus this shop is also within walking distance from my apartment.

Once again, I brought my best friend Carla along. Her line of work is in the theater, both acting and stage management, leaving most of her day-times free. She hangs out at the Ugly Mug on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I had been to the Ugly Mug with her about a year ago, but it didn't leave an impression in my mind and so Carla kept urging me to return and evaluate the place for my mission.

At first look, I have to say I was not very impressed by the atmosphere. It was not at all like the coffee shops or houses that I am used too...you might even say that the inside is actually kinda ugly. The walls are made from dark cinder blocks which match most of the dark decor.

The lighting inside is also very dark and I imagine if you were stuck at a table without a lamp, it would be very hard to see at night. I am actually very sensitive to lights and am not a fan of fluorescent or bright lights, but the dark lighting with the dark decor is not a mood lifter. I also was not feeling the vibe of the heavy metal rock music in the background.

I did enjoy the fact that the art displayed on the walls is created by local artists and is for sale. Next to each piece the artist and how much they are asking for it is listed. The Ugly Mug does not just hang conservative art pieces that are ignored daily at other businesses, instead somewhat shocking and provocative pieces are hung. It gives them an edge. I believe the piece to the left was painted by Mallory Evens and she is asking for $400 or a $300 gift card to IKEA in exchange for the painting.

By the time I left, despite the dark lighting and the "hole in the wall," atmosphere I was in love with this place...why? Mostly because of the way they make their drinks! They are possibly the prettiest and the tastiest coffee drinks I have ever experienced, not to mention the person serving them was incredibly friendly in helping make a decision about what to order, without having to fake or force customer service at all...that's when I knew the run down environment was all a trick! That when you taste what they put in your mug you are more impressed than you will ever be!

The Ugly Mug is an Artisan Roastery, where they make their coffee manually with the machine shown in the picture to the right. The drinks are not expensive and no matter what you order whether it is hot chocolate, Chai or just a plain cup of coffee you will not be let down.
They do show more pictures of their drinks on their website.

That was the moment, I began to see why many of the seats in The Ugly Mug were filled, though seating was not difficult to find. The people there were also within Carla and my demographic this time. We ran into someone that lived down the hall from us our freshman year of college. Before we knew it we had a nice little group sitting at and around the table with us, which made our day at The Ugly Mug most enjoyable.

I still have other coffee shops to explore and I don't know if this is the place where I would feel the most comfortable getting work done, but it would be a nice place to relax with friends on a rainy day or get the uniquely gourmet cup of coffee without having to dress up for it at a fancy restaurant.

Primo Coffee

I wasted no time in my investigation and tonight I dragged my best friend Carla to check out Primo Coffee (Yes it does exist!) with me.

Something I forgot to mention in my criteria in looking for a coffee shop before is I would like there to be something unique and whimsical about the place I choose as my writing spot.

Based on this criteria, at first glance of Primo Coffee I was not impressed. There is the same traditional drinks, groovy lamps that hang from the ceiling, a couple cozy arm chairs and some wooden tables. I feel like it was made from a coffee shop cookie cutter.

Then I looked in their food case and saw their gigantic Primo muffins of all different sorts. The tops of them were so big that the muffins had to lay on their sides. So while the atmosphere here may be very provincial the food items were gourmet.

Also on my way out, I noticed they had plants growing on their windowsill, but not just in a traditional pot. There is actually a plant growing out of a leather boot. For some reason when I saw it I wondered if just maybe this is how Jack would've planted his beanstalk and points for Primo Coffee's uniqueness shot up.

I am not much of a coffee drinker and was planning on getting tea, but upon arrival they had a fantastic advertisement for a low-fat strawberry banana smoothie and I just had to get it. For a smoothie it was reasonably priced at $3.90 for a medium, not as cheap as I would like it to be...but hey for a bohemian artist (or anyone really) nothing ever is. It was delicious!

The comfy chairs here could be sat in for hours, especially while gazing into the flames of their crackling fireplace.

I did find I need to be patient with their free Wi-Fi because it is not as high speed as the highest speed internet I have at home, but if I'm coming here to get work done this may not always be such a bad thing.

It is quiet enough here. The music is not loud and disturbing, but has a beat to it that may just take me to far away land. I may not relate to the people here though. Everyone besides me and Carla either has gone gray in the hair or is bald. Not exactly in our five year post-graduate demographic, but no judgment, after all it is a Saturday night and our demographic may have more exciting things to do with their lives. At a different they may be here, in the meantime at least no one here is intimidating or disruptive.

All and all Primo Coffee is not too bad. I might have considered making it my spot except for one thing... the hours. I was very disappointed to get here at seven and discover the hours on the website were incorrect and this place is not open until 10pm or 11pm, but is only open until 8pm.

I will have to continue my search, however if I'm ever passing by here on my way home from the Ypsilanti Whittaker branch library I will not hesitate to stop for a smoothie or a muffin.

The Hunt Begins

That's right it's a hunt for my perfect place...and we're off! I accumulated a list of coffee houses that I plan to test as a writing spot. In making this list I made a few rules, which are listed at the bottom if you are interested, but for now I plan to visit each of these shops to see if any will help me become the writer I dream of becoming:

1. Primo Coffee House Does this place still exist?
2. The Ugly Mug
3. Perk and Brew I don't know if this place is still there either?
4. The Common Cup
5. Starbucks on Washtenaw Ypsilanti
   
6. Starbucks on Washtenaw Arborland
7. Starbucks on Carpenter
   
8. Espresso Royale
9. Biggby Coffee
10. The Coffee Lounge in Canton but I'm willing to give Cherry Hill a Chance
11. Beezy's
12. Harvest Moon Cafe
13. B-24's
14. Cafe Ollie
    

* Many of the places I found on the internet I know have gone out of business and so anything I found that I knew was out of business did not go on the list...duh, but some shops I think may be out of business, but I'm unsure did so we can see about them. I consider myself coffee house keen, since its more my scene than a bar is and some I have not heard of so I wonder if they are out of business or simply the best kept secret ever!
**There is no Bearclaw Coffee on my list because they are just stands.
***Most shops that were listed too far in Ann Arbor have been excluded because of the travel and parking effort.
****No Tim Hortons or Dunkin' Dounts because I have more class than that
*****Not in Canton or Plymouth since that is my hometown and I already know the perfect spot would be the Plymouth Coffee Bean which again has been excluded due to travel time
******Nothing on Eastern's Campus unless I am feeling nostalgic and writing/ re-living my college experience that day
*******Why not a library? Mostly because of hours and that would make writing seem more like work and like I said before, the purpose of this exercise is to make my writing an escape from my work...

Ideally, I would like to find a place that isn't corporate. I'd like to find a nice hipster privately owned by bohemians spot, but I am unsure this will happen given the hours I need the writing spot to be available to me and therefore places like Starbucks and Biggby still remain on the list.

Make the Time, Find the Place

I have decided that I am going to fight this identity crises, I am a writer and writing is what I will do dammit. I think what may have sucked the fun out of it for me was when I started thinking of writing as a second job...writing as work, instead of expression and escape. So, I just need to set myself up to work and make writing fun at the same time.

When I saw Margo Rabb speak-mentioned in a previous blog- she called the first part of writing a novel "coffee shop time." She said that she initially goes to a coffee shop sits there with a nice drink and spaces out in order to see her entire novel scene by scene like a movie. This sounded so appealing and relaxing to me that I am going to take her advice. This will be step one to writing my novel...

I just need to find a time and a place.

A time is easier to decide on, I work 9-5 Wednesday through Sunday and I don't see why after work I cant spend at least one evening spending time relaxing and writing.

A place is a little more difficult...I want to find a local coffee shop that is my writing spot. This will save valuable seconds deciding where I want to write each night. This writing spot of mine will require the following:

1.) Hours that fit with my schedule

• This will typically be about 6pm-11pm unless I go on a day off

2.) Inexpensive Drinks

• After all I am a bohemian and cannot afford to pay a toneach visit

3.) A cozy place to daydream and sit
4.) Local

• Preferably within walking distance or a place that has free parking

5.) People that do not Annoy me, will be friendly but not distracting

So my mission is set...and I choose to accept it: #1- start writing in free time and #2-hunt for the perfect coffee shop to become my writing spot...

Words of an Identity Crises

I haven't been writing and this is strange for me. Lately, it has crossed my mind that maybe I'm not a writer after all...and this is strange for me. There have been no journal entries, no short stories, no poetry, no novel and as you can see there is a major lack of blog entries.

Writing was something I did automatically as a child, something that came natural, something I needed to do to breathe, but lately...nothing.

Have I given up on this dream so easily? Is this part of my identity gone? Just two years ago, I was so set, so determined to become a writer. Why did I stop?

Was it just too difficult? Others were better than me and I couldn't stand the jealousy I felt? I wondered what the point was with so many other writers out there? Was there too much negative feedback? I find it hard to believe that would stop me...but did it? *shivers*

I am going to library school. I want to be a youth librarian, but did graduate school really cancel out ALL writing time? Will this soon turn into another librarian's blog? Bleh.

Why can't I do both? Today, someone must pick one career and spend all their time working toward it in order to succeed. God forbid, someone does decide to split their time between different interests, because then they are not considered dedicated enough to one...they will not become as much of an expert on one thing and for this they will not be respected enough to accomplish their goal.

My name is Angela Michelle Scott...and I am a writer...right?

The Heart Doth Repair Itself

Dr, Jonas Frisen: "In an old person, the heart muscle cells will be a mosaic: some that have been with that person from birth, and there will be new cells that have replaced others that were lost." -Lauren Rediness, Radioactive, page 180, 2010

In this case...it's a scientific fact.

Definitions of Romanticism

A Long Overdue Post

Romanticism- according to Wikipedia Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, it was a revolt against the aristocratic norms and was inspired by the industrial revolution. It validated strong emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror and terror and awe—especially that which is experienced in confronting the sublimity of untamed nature and its picturesque qualities, both new aesthetic categories.

Romanticism- according to Webster:
1. Consisting of or resembling romance
2. Having no basis in facts
3. impractical in conception or plan
4. marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized

5. a : having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous
b : marked by expressions of love or affection
c : conducive to or suitable for lovemaking

6. of, relating to, or constituting the part of the hero especially in a light comedy

Romanticism- some random website: Whereas rationalism was dominated by logic and reason, romanticism is more emotional, less controlled

Romanticism- Sixth Edition, Handbook to Literature: Romanticism arose so gradually and exhibited so many phases that a satisfactory definition is not possible

Emotion be Gone!- A one liner

I worry everyday that all this patience is for nothing-but I keep telling myself to have faith. I only hope that the worry does not turn out to be true and the faith turn out to be false.

So...Angela...what the H-e-double-hockey-sticks?

Up until this point...and even a little now, this blog has been unfocused...all over the place. So you might have some questions for me, let me take a few moments to try and answer those:

So..is this a writer's blog?

It is in the sense that it is about a girl who likes to write, who sets writing goals for herself and hopes one day that maybe it will lead to publication and be her primary job. However, that is not all that this blog is about. It's more of a journey of what its like to live a life seeing the world the way I do.

Whatever happened too.... Applying to Columbia College Masters Program?
I never completed the application, was too scared to ask for recommendations and did not find an MFA a very practical degree to strive for when I would've had to take out loans to do it. I desperately want to earn my MFA and work on my craft one day, but honestly I have to make a living first.

Writing for the Eastern Echo? The simple response is I am not a student at Eastern anymore. The more complicated one I will try to leave simple by saying I did not find them to be a credible publication to write for anymore and while I loved seeing my name in print and earning a little income through writing (dream come true), I was afraid I was beginning to look worse in print rather than better.

Your Non-profit Certification Program at Eastern? It seemed like most non-profit jobs that paid well included asking people for money all the time...it not only isn't me, but also a lot of non-profits I had to work with through-out my class, not going to name any names, but I want to make it really really clear that I am not talking about 826Michigan, were extremely unorganized and I need more structure in my life. I quit the program with 3-6 credit hours left...who knows maybe I'll go back and finish it someday...maybe.

NanoWriMo? I failed. Yes, it makes me feel like a bad writer, but I will try again next time. I am confident that some November I will be successful.

With all that said, what's going on? I am on a day shift at a library and it is my first full-time position ever. For once, the stress of applying for jobs is lifted from my shoulders and I love every minute of daytime...NO MORE MIDNIGHTS!!! I also will surprise you by saying I went back to library school, only this time with a concentration as a Childrens' librarian instead of an archivist. I want to work with kids and teach them how to be resourceful and perhaps even love literature. I will hopefully earn my masters in a couple years.


In short, I am happy and thankful and more secure than I have been in years. I am sure the turmoil of life is not done with me, but I am happy to catch you up to speed and report that at the moment I am pleased where life has brought me.

I've lost track of how many, but here are my latest two articles published in the Eastern Echo :)

Figurative Works Exhibit

"Keys to Degrees" Program