Perkdup

If you're a coffee lover, you must add Siphon Coffee in Houston to your list of "must try" coffee houses. Siphon offers a cool coffee vibe, lots of seating, it's fun to watch the "siphoning coffee," and the service is a combination of "Hipster meets Southern Charm." Summertime is hot so you might want to go for an iced version.  It's never too hot for me to drink coffee, so I opted for a hot cup. I enjoyed it so much that I grabbed a bag of Houston's " Boomtown Coffee ," to bring home. All of the coffees they brew and sell are from Houston-area microroasters. The third-wave has definitely made its way to Houston.

I'm not even going to pretend that Fonté coffee is anything less than exceptional. I'm also not going to pretend to you that it's not on the expensive side.  It is.  No, it's not your $100 per pound variety, but it's not something that the Average Joe or Josie can enjoy all the time. However, I do work hard and like to treat myself on special days.  Like Thursday. This "signature" dark roast blend is one of my absolute favorites. I keep thinking that if I stopped spending so much on coffee that maybe one day I could visit the Fonté Cafe in Seattle. Until then, I'll indulge in moderation. Order online at Fonté

Since it's probably not a good idea to add a shot of rum to your morning mug (especially before work) why not add a touch of soul.   Philtered Soul from Philz Coffee . These hazelnut delight is just what I need to boost my morning routine.  This week, I've added one heaping scoop to my regular dark roast brew (pick your favorite) and the result is - well, it's just soulful. If you don't want the full-on flavored coffee taste, this is the perfect modification. Check it out for yourself.  I think you'll be "soulfully surprised." Philtered Soul from Philz

Breaking up is hard to do. Especially when you're on a first-name basis with your barista.  Especially when he knows exactly what you want before you even order. And most especially when he's warm, engaging, smart, funny and always in a good mood. The Peet's near my office is closing down after 20 years.  That's a very long time.  And while I've only gone to this shop for a little over 5 years - that's a huge measurement in terms of cups of coffee. And even though it's Friday, I'm more than a little sad that I just went in for the very last time. On the bright side, I could get off one train stop early, add another ten minutes to my walk and meet my guy at his new Peet's location. Who am I kidding?  I can never get that far ahead in the mornings.  Even with coffee.

I'm celebrating Friday eve with one of my "private reserve" coffees.  This stuff is for days when I deserve a little something extra-special.   One of my favorites from Fonte Coffee in Seattle.  Although, it's sort of hard to come up with a favorite when they are all so good. Besides it's cold and wet and it's June.  Which can only mean one thing - time for great coffee. Fonte Bin 16 . 17.00 for a twelve ounce bag of beans (and worth it)

Do you take politics with your coffee? I'm willing to bet without citing any statistics at all, that many a candidate has been made (or broken) over coffee. Even my local police invite you to "Coffee with a Cop." Even though we've heard enough cofveve jokes to last a lifetime, or at least another four years, don't tell me the first thing that didn't come to your mind when you heard the word "cofveve" wasn't - what a great name for a coffee." Dollars to donuts someone will do it.  If they haven't already. But I'd like to challenge you to put your partisan politics aside and invite someone to coffee who has a completely opposite point of view from your own. I know.  It's hard.  Trust me.  I know.  Recently had an encounter with a building contractor which made me think.  Really hard.  I wasn't sure that we would ever agree on the current political climate.  In fact, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't.  However,...

I don't drink Blue Bottle coffee much.  I like it.  But it's so popular that it's really hard to get into the door, let alone make it up to the counter. But, hey, it's Wednesday.  Who says you can only treat yourself on Thursday? I stayed the course and stood stood.  Now I'm enjoying a nice cup of one of San Francisco's best-loved blends - Blue Bottle's Hayes Valley Espresso . Because it's better to get over the hump than fall under it.  Coffee helps.