Drinking too much coffee can cause a Latte problems

                It was noon on Tuesday when I walked into Stella’s, a local coffeehouse on Pearl Street. Entering the shop, I walked across the porch which wraps its way around the entire building. There were people sitting on the patio furniture, enjoying the beautiful weather and each other’s company. Most folks outside and inside had either coffee drinks or tea. A few people snacked on pastries and baked goods of some sort, but no one really appeared to be eating a full blown meal. The food and drinks were of fairly high quality—they serve “one of the most finely pulled espressos in town.” All the coffee is roasted locally and the food items are homemade. The prices were not cheap, but not overly expensive—about the same prices at a Starbucks.

                The folks working there seemed to keep pretty busy. They were constantly making drinks, ringing people up, cleaning, or restocking. Although they were consistently being productive, they weren’t in much of a hurry. They took their time taking people’s orders and making their drinks. It was very laid back and relaxed. They were friendly and seemed to be happy doing whatever they were doing.

                Most of the customers were young adults; either college aged or recently graduated from college. Customers consisted of a very diverse group of people. They ranged from people who wore polo shirts and boat shoes to people who had dyed their hair green and gaged their ears. The shop had very laid back vibes. There was no music playing, but only the sound of a few people talking and coffee being brewed could be heard inside. The people out on the deck were mostly socializing in small groups ranging from two to four while people inside were mainly individuals studying, reading, or on a laptop. There were a few groups of two inside playing cards or having conversations. It was not overly crowded, but most of the tables were taken by at least one person. The majority of people appeared to be doing some sort of studying or work. This could have something to do with it being noon on a Tuesday; maybe a Saturday morning or evening would be a bit livelier.

                Stella’s Gourmet Coffee and Such “offers an eclectic atmosphere that can appeal to most any coffeehouse goer.” It is laid out as a “virtual labyrinth of comfortable nooks and crannies, perfect for long study sessions, conversations with friends or just a quiet minute to yourself.” There are several small rooms that make up the shop. Two contain several small tables with a couple chairs and one contains an L-shaped couch with a coffee table covered in board games and newspapers. The rooms are open to each other and flow together very naturally, yet each room “offers a unique feel.” There are a few bookshelves full of collections of books on every subject. The walls are covered with the artwork of local artists for sale.

                Overall, Stella’s was a very nice local coffee shop. It’s cozy and welcoming atmosphere was perfect for socializing in small groups, studying, or just relaxing. The drinks are delicious and moderately priced and the service was great.

Source:  http://www.stellascoffee.com/index.html