Coffee has maintained a standing role in my life since the fourth grade. Yes, you read that correctly. My parents accidentally got me addicted to caffeine at the ripe age of nine. I always savored the scent of coffee in the air every morning, particularly on weekends when my parents would make a big breakfast with an equally big pot of coffee. A french press to be exact. Despite loving the scent of it, I hated the flavor. My innocent parents thought it would be a wonderful idea to have me try coffee with chocolate milk, a mocha of sorts. This is where it all began. By the time I was in seventh or eighth grade I was drinking black coffee almost everyday before school!

It is safe to say that coffee has been a part of my life for a good deal of time, which is exactly why I chose to write about it. This blog will review the various coffee spots I have been to and delve into the connections and memories that coffee has brought into my life. Whether you are a coffee drinker or not, hopefully this will spark an interest in visiting some new places, or calling up an old friend to chat over coffee, tea,  or even water!

I feel that there is no better coffee shop to kick off this series than Denim Coffee located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I may be biased because this is my hometown, but we attract a great deal of coffee shops because of our proximity to Dickinson College and the state capital, Harrisburg. There are many places to choose from, but Denim remains one of my top five coffee shops. The shop itself looks out on the quaint town square of Carlisle and has walls totally made of glass. The atmosphere really makes this place, it feels bright and airy. No matter the season you can look outside and enjoy your coffee of any shape or form.

My family and I go to Denim very frequently to buy their whole bean coffee to make at home, but some of my favorite memories are my mom and I going there for coffee. When I started high school, we would make a point to spend a day together shopping and catching up on life. We always would kick off the day or sometimes end our shopping spree by getting a snack and coffee. This part of the day almost always ended up being at Denim Coffee. My go-to order there is an iced hazelnut latte, specifically with whole milk. I tend to be a milk hater, but something about this combination mixed with their coffee blend is absolutely heavenly. I willingly drink this ice cold concoction in the depths of winter, that is how delicious it is.

Beyond having delightful coffee, Denim Coffee is a place of fond memories for me. As I mentioned before, I feel a strong connection here because of my trips there with my family. I truly believe that sitting down for a cup of coffee can bring about wonderful connections and memories that last a lifetime.

If you have any coffee shop recommendations for here in State College, comment them below!