Normally, I don't need any extra motivation to write an article here. I enjoy writing techie articles that four people a month read. Writing papers for English class is a bit different. It's more challenging. I have no aversion to being challenged, it just takes a bit more motivation to get going. Today I set out leaving the comfort of my own apartment and find the perfect spot in Spokane to jump start my writing mojo.
As a coffee lover, it was only natural that I seek out a coffee shop to conduct my work. I tossed my Macbook in my backpack and set foot toward the nearest bus stop. My bus trip ended in downtown Spokane, near River Park square. I didn't have any predetermined coffee destinations in mind, the only criteria was to avoid Starbucks. I realize that these establishments are businesses, not temporary offices, and thus limited my stays to around an hour.
The first stop of the day: Thomas Hammer in downtown Spokane. I ordered my favorite non-latte drink, the Fireball (no, it doesn't have Fireball whiskey in it). This drink is essentially a mocha, with a shot of orange syrup in it. It is weirdly delicious. The barista even made latte art in the drink, but sadly I wasn't able to admire its beauty as she covered it with the lid immediately after pouring it, though the imprint of the art was visible through the lid for a few fleeting moments. Aside from a few noisy patrons, the environment was fine for productivity. I didn't need to squirm in the chair, as the seating was quite comfortable. There were no power outlets to be found. Fortunately, my machine had enough charge to get me through an hour, after which I left to avoid overstaying my welcome. Thomas Hammer had Wi-Fi, but it was password protected, so I used my Nexus 4 as a hotspot instead.
About three blocks away, I found the Brews Brothers coffee shop, a place with a friendly atmosphere and chatty customers. The barista there seemed to know a lot of the customers by name, indicating that many of them were regulars, a good sign indeed. This time I ordered a chai latte, and that's all I have to say about that. This time, I was able to situate within reach of a power outlet. Again, Wi-Fi was password protected, so I whipped out my phone once again. The atmosphere here was much more conducive to writing. There space was large enough to dissipate the individual conversations and native noises of a coffee shop.
Finally, after wandering the blocks for a few minutes after lunch, I located Atticus. This joint was by far the busiest of three I had visited today, and it was 2 PM. Admittedly, much of the traffic in the store was on the gift shop side, but there was still about 20 people occupying tables and enjoying coffee. I ordered a plain latte this time, which was the cheapest drink I bought at $2.99 after tax. Atticus expects a certain volume of sit down customers, serving drinks in ceramic mugs if you choose to stay. Props to them for saving the environment and saving money on cups. Now that I had my latte, I needed a place to sit. All of the individual tables were taken, leaving me to take a chair at one of the large group tables. These tables are an open invitation for group activities, as every time I've been to this establishment, there were groups of teenagers doing homework at the tables. Atticus even posts signs on the tables to the tune of "We are a business, not a study hall or an office. Please don't hog the seating." Despite the bustling atmosphere, I was able to get some work done here. And the latte was decent.
It should be noted that none of these places had open Wi-fi, though it was free at all of them. It seems that coffee houses are either WPA protecting their Wi-Fi to stop people from squatting or give patrons better security. If I owned a coffee shop, I'd probably do the same.
Of the three shops I sampled today, I would be most likely to return to Brews Brother to get some work done. Lots of seating options and a large(ish) room made this place desirable for getting work done. Naturally, I'd order a drink that wasn't a pre-made chai tea, as pre-made chai is just too sweet for my taste.
