Java Jive

It feels like a good morning for extra coffee.

If you are feeling the time change the way we are over at my house, you could probably use some. So here's a recent HoCo Times article by Tony Glaros which takes in some HoCo local coffee shops. Have you been to all of them? Are there some you feel should have made the list? ("Finding space in Howard County's smaller coffee shops", March 10th)

I've never been to Ruthie's or Casual Gourmet. Not my neck of the woods, I guess. And I notice they didn't include Riverside, a place near to me. Although, I haven't been there for a long time. I don't really know how it's doing these days.

Why not? Well, because when I go for coffee these days, I usually go to Starbucks.

(Insert squeamish feeling of corporate sell-out here.)

I'd much rather be supporting a local business, so why don't I? Is it because I want the reassurance that comes from the uniformity of the Starbucks brand? I know what to expect, no surprises. Have I really reached that stage of my life? I just don't want any surprises?

I think it's time to challenge myself on this one.

There's an empty space next to the Oakland Mills Food Lion which has been available for a long time. It would be so great for a mom and pop coffee place to open up there. I promise you I would absolutely choose that over Starbucks every time. Years ago we had a place called the Blue Cow in Thunder Hill and it is still missed.

How cool would it be to hang out in my own neighborhood and connect with folks from the Village? It would be awesome.

Where do you go for coffee, and why? What keeps you coming back?