Coffee Tour of Olympia, WA

I unexpectedly got stuck in Seattle for an extra day.

Thankfully, Robbie and Katie let me stay with them,

and I got an extra "coffee tour" of Olympia, Washington's capitol city.

First, we got our morning coffee at Olympia Coffee Roasting Company next to Robbie's job, Espresso Parts.

Olympia had a unique set up with a beautiful espresso machine, a La Marzocco.

The baristas were super sweet, and made me some yummy coffee on the Clover.

LOVE this door handle! 

Then we hopped on over to Espresso Parts.

This was a sight for a coffee nerd like me.

Coffee gadgets in every corner.

It was like a warehouse, but a lot smaller than I ever imagined.

I definitely feel like I am a cooler Barista now that I have seen where they make all the coffee making machines.

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The Coffee Capitol of the World

Seattle, WA, also known as the "Coffee Capitol of the World". 

It is also the place where Starbucks was founded in 1971.

As you know I visited, a "fake original" Starbucks, first.

Of course, being in Seattle, I visited EVERY coffee place I could.

I was in coffee heaven. :)

The first place (besides a Starbucks) I visited was Victrola.

Robbie, my former coffee manager, took me on my coffee tour.

It was a lovely little shop.

I ordered a cappuccino and a homemade coffee truffle. 

YUM!

It was scrumptious.

A little background on the coffee shop, it was founded in 2000.

The name comes from the popular phonograph during the 1920's.

The really emphasized this theme with a 1920's jazz feel in the overall atmosphere of the shop. 

I also could not resist this fair trade coffee bar from Theo Chocolate Factory.

First off, it had a cat on it.

I LOVE kitty cats.

Second, it reminded me of good'ole Springfield's Askinosie Chocolate Company.

Then I headed straight over to the infamous Stumptown Coffee Roasters.

It was smaller than Victrola,

but had a very distinct, clean feel.

The Baristas knew Robbie, so we chatted for awhile.

They were super nice.

We both got an espresso,

and I got some Burundi beans (on the house).

Thanks, Stumptown!

Last and probably least, I did go to the "original Starbucks"

because you have to as a tourist in Seattle.

However, I was not impressed. 

The coffee was worse than the coffee served at my conference,

and the shop was small and had no chairs.

What is the point of a coffee shop if you can't cozy up in a chair?

Overall, Seattle's coffee scene was everything I anticipated.

Great shops mixed in with 1,000 Starbucks.

I am glad I have been to the "Coffee Capitol of the World"! 

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