2008 Woodie Awards
Coffee, Cafes and Calculus
Putting the "Wi" in "Fi"
Candyce Fischer
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Entertainment
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Let's face it: studying is more enjoyable with a warm drink in hand and the soft noises of conversation and music playing in the background. Coffee shops around San Diego offer trendy atmospheres teeming with people reading textbooks, drawing, meeting with friends and, at Wi-Fi hotspots, surfing the web.
Though major Internet providers offer basic DSL packages starting at $14.99 per month, many college students prefer coffee shops that provide free Internet, coffee and an inviting atmosphere. Gathered here are five local coffee houses providing to these things. The times from Mesa are compliments of Google.
1. Urban Grind. 3797 Park Blvd. Open 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. on weekends. 10 minutes from Mesa.
Spacious and modern, Urban Grind is a great place to come for lunch or breakfast and some internet. It is a little pricey for a college student ($7.25 for a hot Panini), but in addition to meals, they offer a great selection of tea, coffee and desserts (including pints of Ben and Jerry's!). The high benches along the wall allow for comfortable typing that some furniture set-ups prevent. At the moment, Urban Grind is sporting seasonal gourds and abstract paintings from a local artist. Combined with steel tabletops, white stone walls, and bright yellow trimmings surrounding generous windows, the ambience of Urban Grind invigorates every sense. But good luck with parking; it is located on one of the main streets of Hillcrest.
2. Caffé Calabria. 3933 30th St. Open 6 a.m. - 3 p.m. on weekdays, 6:45 a.m. -
3 p.m. on weekdays. 10 minutes from Mesa.
Walking into Caffé Calabria from the faded streets of North Park is like walking into a tropical Venice. Real potted plants adorn the interior studded with exotic sculptures and paintings. The smell of the dark chocolate finish of the house coffee, Calabria, pervades the air. In any other coffee shop the classic chandelier above the doorway would clash with the wooden counters and upholstered wooden chairs, but here it seems exotic and exciting. The barista can only describe the style of the room as "warm." Adjacent to the café is a large room where the coffee is roasted. Another room in back is a wholesale coffee shop and downstairs they make the tea. The soft music of Caffé Calabria allows students to study without distraction. The shop offers a huge selection of coffee and many other things as well, including pastries and paninis. Right now, they close at 3 p.m. every day, but soon they will be transforming the place into a coffee shop by morning and a pizzeria and bar by night. Starting this week, the freshly roasted beans of Caffé Calabria are replacing Seattle's Best Coffee in the LRC.
Though major Internet providers offer basic DSL packages starting at $14.99 per month, many college students prefer coffee shops that provide free Internet, coffee and an inviting atmosphere. Gathered here are five local coffee houses providing to these things. The times from Mesa are compliments of Google.
1. Urban Grind. 3797 Park Blvd. Open 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. on weekends. 10 minutes from Mesa.
Spacious and modern, Urban Grind is a great place to come for lunch or breakfast and some internet. It is a little pricey for a college student ($7.25 for a hot Panini), but in addition to meals, they offer a great selection of tea, coffee and desserts (including pints of Ben and Jerry's!). The high benches along the wall allow for comfortable typing that some furniture set-ups prevent. At the moment, Urban Grind is sporting seasonal gourds and abstract paintings from a local artist. Combined with steel tabletops, white stone walls, and bright yellow trimmings surrounding generous windows, the ambience of Urban Grind invigorates every sense. But good luck with parking; it is located on one of the main streets of Hillcrest.
2. Caffé Calabria. 3933 30th St. Open 6 a.m. - 3 p.m. on weekdays, 6:45 a.m. -
3 p.m. on weekdays. 10 minutes from Mesa.
Walking into Caffé Calabria from the faded streets of North Park is like walking into a tropical Venice. Real potted plants adorn the interior studded with exotic sculptures and paintings. The smell of the dark chocolate finish of the house coffee, Calabria, pervades the air. In any other coffee shop the classic chandelier above the doorway would clash with the wooden counters and upholstered wooden chairs, but here it seems exotic and exciting. The barista can only describe the style of the room as "warm." Adjacent to the café is a large room where the coffee is roasted. Another room in back is a wholesale coffee shop and downstairs they make the tea. The soft music of Caffé Calabria allows students to study without distraction. The shop offers a huge selection of coffee and many other things as well, including pastries and paninis. Right now, they close at 3 p.m. every day, but soon they will be transforming the place into a coffee shop by morning and a pizzeria and bar by night. Starting this week, the freshly roasted beans of Caffé Calabria are replacing Seattle's Best Coffee in the LRC.
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