For those of you who missed it last week, I did a full week of “Top 5” blog posts.  Well, I’m continuing the tradition, only I moved it to Tuesdays, so each Tuesday (at least for awhile, and if I remember) I am going to be posting a Top 5 list.

The debut: Top 5 Offices may seem like an odd one, but for those of you who know me know that I “office” out of coffee shops for the most part.  For whatever reason I have a hard time getting much work done at home.  So, todays post is all about the local places you may find me getting my work done.  I decided on “local” because I have had some pretty sweet offices (read: coffee shops) through the years and through my travels.

My criteria certainly included the quality of the coffee (if applicable) but also includes ambiance, noise, climate control, distance from home, Internet Connection, productivity for me, etc.

So, without further ado, here’s the list:

Honorable Mentions because I like them a lot: The Blend in Maple Valley, Cutters Point in Covington (near Fred Meyer), 5 Corners Sbux in Burien and The Met in Renton.

Honorable Mentions because I use them a lot because of proximity to home: Benson/Petrovitsky, Fairwood and Panther Lake Sbux.

Five: Seattle’s Best Coffee in Renton. I don’t visit here often enough, in fact, I probably hit it up once every other month, but I have a soft spot in my heart for SBC (the Fairwood Sbux was an SBC and my best work memories from Phoenix were from an SBC).  The reason I still come here is because it DOES NOT have internet service.  There are times you need to go to a place and not be distracted by the net.  I have one regular meeting here and then it ends up being a great place to get some work done before or after.  This is also the one place on the list where I don’t run into people that I know.

Four: Forza Coffee in Kent.  This is a new shop and I really like it and the Baristas.  Might be the best cup of coffee of the top 5 (seems to be a great balance of coffee flavor with my sugar free haz. nut and 1 inch of non-fat).  I also have loved my conversations with the baristas and the customers here.  In just 10-12 visits I have had more engaging conversations and opportunities to talk about Jesus with these new friends than at any other individual store.  Forza has a few things to do to help it move up the charts; in other words, it has some down sides right off the bat: it needs more furniture (a fireplace and some comfy couches would automatically give this two more spots on the chart) and for whatever reason, the entire store has NO garbage can out on the floor (you need to give it to the baristas or take it into the bathroom).  Weird.

Three: Cutters Point Coffee in Covington.  First, the down side, it is a little too far from home, however, I have more and more meetings out this direction, so it certainly has the potential to go up the chart.  I love BIG cafe’s because you can find hiding places to work; while at the same time I like the noise of a semi-busy coffee shop from time to time.  I have had a number of good conversations with Christians at this shop (whereas at other places I look to engage the non-Christians).  Great cup of coffee at Cutters, and I appreciate the ability to order a very large coffee (larger than a venti).

Two: Mike’s Community Cup in Seatac.  Wow, didn’t realize how much I missed this place until I’d been gone.  Mike’s is the place I meet with the Burien area network of Youth Pastors.  Great quiet atmosphere, until the boys all gather.  I am able to get a ton of work done here before the meetings and then it has proven to be a good atmosphere for our talks as well.  I like the coffee at Mike’s and they are very generous with the refills (never charging, even for the syrups).  The only down side is the distance from home, if it were closer, it would probably be #1.

One: Kent Kangley and 132nd Starbucks in Kent is my current favorite place to office.  I seem to get the most amount of work done here and it is so convenient for drop off and pick up Audrey for her school. Our new church is only a minute or two away and it has been nice to run into some new friends here.  In addition, it has proven to be a great meeting place for many south-end Youth Pastors as well. The coffee and tea are both so predictable to Starbucks, and though it isn’t “the best” it is pretty consistent at each one. However, I do feel this status is in jeopardy because of the recent switch to a bathroom key that needs to be obtained at the register… ease of bathroom list might be the downfall of the #1 for the mighty Bux.

You have some suggestions for me within a 20 minute drive of the greater Fairwood area?  You have a reason I should bump one of mine out of the top 5?  Let me hear ’em!

Grace,
Brian