8 Ways to Celebrate National Coffee Day

Happy National Coffee Day my friends. If you hadn’t gathered by the name of my blog, I am a big fan of coffee. I was a barista for 3 years, and to date, it’s one of my absolute favorite things to do. I loved it. I blame my Harry Potter obsession for my adoration of making coffee – being a barista is basically just brewing potions all day. And when it comes to drinking coffee, well, there’s nothing better.

I know I’m not the only one who loves coffee, and National Coffee Day is definitely something to be celebrated! If you needed a few ideas on how to embrace this wonderful day, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s dive in.

8 Ways to Celebrate National Coffee Day (September 29th)

  1. Go to a local sit-down coffee shop, order a butterbeer latte to stay, and spend some time enjoying the vibrant environment a coffee shop has to offer.

  2. Surprise your friend or partner with a coffee, or Venmo them $5 to go get one themselves. Caption it “Happy National Coffee Day. Your coffee’s on me this morning!” and watch how excited they get.

  3. Pick up a pumpkin pie americano from a local drive-up coffee shop, head to the closest park, and stroll around while you sip your hot bevvy.

  4. Head to a main street café or shop, get a brown sugar + oat milk americano, find a window seat, and watch the people and cars go by.

  5. Snag a frosted maple latte from your favorite drive-up, and hit the road for a long scenic drive. Don’t forget to blast your favorite music, turn the heat on, and roll down the windows.

  6. Make a delicious pot of coffee at home by adding cinnamon to your grounds, find a cozy place to snuggle up, and sip your coffee while you read a book, color, do a puzzle, or read a magazine.

  7. Buy FIVE $5 gift cards to your favorite local coffee shop and hand them out to friends, co-workers, or strangers! $5 is just enough to buy a latte or frappe and you’d be surprised how stoked people will be for a free coffee.

  8. Make a to-go mug of coffee with some 100% pure maple syrup, oat milk, and a dash of pumpkin spice, bundle up, and go outside to watch the sunrise.

There you have it, 8 ways to celebrate this holy day. And it was short and sweet, just how I like my coffee! I hope you all have an amazing, delicious, caffeinated National Coffee Day.

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Coffee Conversations Pt. 1

Today’s the start of a new series: “Coffee Conversations”. I wanted to create this series to give myself the ability to write with a little more freedom. My inconsistencies with writing stem from my innate need for everything to be perfect before I hit “publish”. The writing has to be clear and meaningful, the graphics have to be beautiful and polished, and the timing has to be just right. While I value all of those things, they prevent me from showing up here because if it’s not “good enough”, it’s not making the blog.

Coffee Conversations opens up a casual space for me to post things that are outside of my niche, or at least outside of my normal content. It gives me the opportunity to discuss things that I would, say, with a friend over coffee. So today’s Coffee Conversation is just a little life update, because a lot has happened since we spoke last…

It all started with a Vision Board

In January I made a vision board for my upcoming year. I focused on things like Home Ownership, Gratitude, Family, Friends, Writing, Career Clarity, Hygge, and Money. I understand that I’m putting myself in a vulnerable space by showing you what’s on my vision board, but I’m showing you because many of the things I put on it have come to fruition.

Here are some life events that have happened since I was here last:

  1. I wrote an article for a small Veteran Magazine, and they weren’t able to publish it.
    I poured my heart into an article about how the Hygge Lifestyle could benefit Veterans. Due to covid and funding, they weren’t able to publish it. Maybe I’ll post it here sometime. This was a huge lesson for me in disappointment and bouncing back.
  2. We lost our dog Nana, after 7.5 wonderful years with her.
    The most unexpected and devastating thing to happen. We were blindsided by losing our sweet girl. It’s been a little over 4 months and it still seems unreal that she’s gone. People aren’t lying when they talk about the deep, painful grief that comes with losing a dog. As time goes on, the reality that she’s truly gone sets in and we try to create a new sense of normal, but I’d be lying if I said life wasn’t a little bit empty without her around.
  3. We found our potential dream home, 4 days after we lost her.
    Another incredibly unexpected turn of events. You know how they say “when one door closes, another opens”? This was one of those moments. In the midst of our pain and grief, we got a phone call that a home in one of our favorite neighborhoods was going to go up for sale in the next few months. If you know anything about the housing market in Kalispell, MT, you know that finding that type of sale situation is pretty much the ONLY way for lower-income people to buy a home right now. We were in absolute shock, and completely conflicted on this new sense of hopefulness in the middle of the hardest time of our life. We reached out to the seller and he scheduled us to come look at the house the following day, which just so happened to be my 26th birthday.
  4. We BOUGHT our dream home.
    If you were waiting for a happy ending, you’ll find it right here. We fell instantly in love with the house. We went through the process without a realtor, which proved to be slightly difficult. But after two months of documents, paperwork, inspections, and a TON of patience, we moved into our first home on…. drumroll please…. April 6th, a.k.a 4/06, a.k.a “Montana Day”. If you don’t believe in receiving signs through dates, symbols, and numbers, you should now.
  5. I photographed my best friend’s labor
    I had the absolute honor and privilege to attend and photograph my best friend’s third and final labor. It was intimate, beautiful, and then very, very scary. And although it was slightly traumatizing, it somehow made me feel more prepared for when my time comes (maybe soon?).

There were so many incredible things that happened between all of these major life events. We’re 6 months into this year and it has been one of the most intense, surreal, memorable years of my life. If you refer back to my vision board, you’ll notice that I was able to accomplish multiple things on it already. Which has just proven to me that manifestation, gratitude, and hard work pays off. But it also proved that some of the most incredible things in life come in the most unexpected moments, and that our most valuable and cherished things can be ripped from us at any moment, too.

Wow, that chat got deep. I hope you’re still with me, and I hope you enjoyed catching up like ol’ pals. Please keep checking back for some valuable content coming soon, like hygge summer to-do’s, date night ideas, how to make a hyggekrog in your home, and so much more. Thanks for being here, friends.

Let’s catch up again soon.

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What the F is Fika?

Excuse me? You kiss your mother with that mouth? What is this Fika? Why should you care?

Fika: An important part of Swedish culture – it means “making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a little something to eat.”
Oh, so, a coffee date? Put simply, yes. But you know I’m not here to put things simply… So, surprise! There’s more to it than that. 😉

It’s funny (not), I drafted this post in November 2019. November and December of 2019 were horrible for reasons I wont go into… So I figured I’d come back to writing it when I was in a better place emotionally, then 2020 happened. 10 months later and I’m READY to talk about fika.

Fika is a social concept. It requires 1) going out 2) with friends 3) drinking coffee and eating together 4) hugging, connecting, and conversing.
2020 hates Fika. So I almost didn’t write this post.
But the reality is, we need some damn Fika right now, my friends.

As is said on the Swedish Culture blog Hej Sweden : “Swedish people – often described as distant, calm and unsocial – love their fika. It gives them the opportunity to meet and hang out with friends, get to know new people, check out potential partners or network with business folks”. Covid has created this fear of being around our friends and I think that as long as we’re all responsible, aware of our bodies and how they’re feeling, and hygienic, we can (and should) make this work.

Mid way into writing this post, I was looking for images that represent fika and I came across a photo of the cast of FRIENDS. I couldn’t help but think – man, they “went for fika” just about every single day, that’s how it should be.

It was their favorite thing to do together, and for good reason –
it’s good for your health to go grab coffee with your friends.

Ready to start going out for fika? Here’s what you need:

No.1) C O F F E E: Fika first and foremost means “to break for coffee” so of course, you need something to sip on. But tea works too! Get a hot or cold beverage and sit down to savor it. Sip slowly, and appreciate the satisfaction a delicious beverage brings.
Pro tip: Order an americano with white chocolate & toasted marshmallow, half sweet, with an inch of cream (or alt. milk). Thank me later. 😉

No.2) T R E A T S: The second element to fika is getting a treat! It may be a small meal, or just a quick sweet pick-me-up. Whether savory or sweet, take time to fully embrace it. How’s the taste? Texture? Smell? What does it remind you of? Take it all in.
Pro tip: Try a scone! They’re incredibly under-rated and deserve way more praise than they get. Savory scones are amazing too.

No.3) F R I E N D S: Going to a coffee shop alone is a wonderful treat, but going with a close friend to catch up is a whole other type of magic. Visit your favorite coffee shop with your closest confidant, or maybe a pal from your past, and get lost in conversation and reminiscing.
Pro tip: Ask your friend (and vice-versa) what some of their favorite flavors are, whether they want hot or cold, and their milk preference; then order drinks for each other as a fun out-of-the-norm surprise.

No.4) R E L A X: Possibly the most important element of them all, this is a time to relax and unwind. Just as the cast of FRIENDS does, let your guard down and really enjoy each other’s company. Actively listen. Have meaningful conversations. Sit in a comfortable chair or couch. Going for fika should be restful and rejuvinating.
Pro tip: Find a secluded area in the cafe or coffee shop for you and your friend(s). The easier it is to hear one another, and let your guard down without fear of others overhearing, the more relaxed you’ll be.

I think you know enough now to take fika into your own hands. Now you just have to make it happen. Call up your friend for a Saturday coffee date. Let them know you learned about this thing called fika and you want to give it a shot. Most importantly, have some good coffee & great conversations.

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A Coffee Shop Shoot

When Meggan of Meggan Jessat Photography suggested we do a photo shoot, my first thought was “Ohhhhh! Coffee Shop!”. I’ve always wanted to do a photo shoot in a dimly lit coffee shop with great natural light and exposed brick. Que the little gem downtown Kalispell we call Colter Coffee.

We met up, “bright” and early on a Saturday morning. The weather was doing that dreary, depressing thing that I love so much. Meggan needed a little snack because she’s a busy AF, badass momma who has a lot of shit to do, okay? We sat by the window while she munched her delicious looking wrap, and we got to know each other a little better.

Then, all of the sudden, like it was just a natural thing that you do when you’re out with a friend…. She started taking my picture.

It was so easy. So natural. I just hung out, and she took my photo.
And that’s how you know you’ve found a good photographer.

Plus, I mean, come on….. look at these photos.

I seriously recommend Meggan for photos. Click here to check out her website, here to check her out on Facebook and here to see her Instagram!

She edits her photos so naturally, she’s bubbly and sweet, and she will NOT disappoint.

She’s going places, people!

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10 Important Life Lessons Learned in 2018

Oh, hello there. It’s been awhile. 5 months to be exact.

A lot has changed since I spoke to you last.

I wanted to discuss some important shit that I’ve learned over the past year. Some, more serious than others. All of these things stemmed from real life scenarios, and if you’d like more detail on *certain* ones, email me. Maybe you can relate.. Maybe you can learn from me.. Or maybe you can laugh. We’ll just have to wait and see…

1. Don’t let people walk all over you, seriously.

If you’re giving your ALL to something, and it’s not being recognized or acknowledged, it’s time to move on. Exhausting all of your loyalty, energy and commitment and still being asked to do more and being told you’re not doing good enough is NOT a normal or healthy environment. Move on..

2. It’s really good for your heart & soul to just forgive people.

People don’t always necessarily deserve your forgiveness, but you do. Holding onto that hatred is HEAVY. And more importantly, sometimes the people that hurt you change, and deserve your forgiveness… You won’t know until you give them the chance to show you.

3. Go after shit, even if you don’t think you’re “fully qualified”.

Seriously, just give it a shot. Whatever it is. But go into it confident, and sure-of-yourself, or no one will buy it. You won’t know if someone’s willing to give you a shot unless you try. DUH.

4. Buying a latte or an americano 5 days a week costs a lot of money, stop it.

For real though. Have you ever calculated it? It’s like $850 – $1000 a year… That’s toooo muchhhhh $$$$$$.

5. There are really awful people out there that put on a REALLY good show.

There’s nothing you can do about this, really. Just tell your story, be honest, be transparent, and don’t stoop to their level. And most importantly, recognize who these people are and stay far, far away from them.

6. Step outside of your comfort zone more, like, waaay more.

A phrase I’ve tried to live my life by since I was 17; “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”. It’s the most important quote I’ve ever come across, because it resonated with me, and I put it into effect. It was terrifying to fly across the world alone at 17 to be with Paul, but look at all the love and joy it brought me. It was terrifying leaving my “stable” job of two years to pursue something totally different, but it’s made a massive difference in my life. And the most relevant example; it was absolutely terrifying to find out that I’d won a scholarship to attend a 4 day Marine Dealer conference in Florida, that I’d have to fly to, and attend, completely by myself…. But I did it. And if I’m being completely honest, it fucking changed my life.

7. If you have goals set, laying in bed all the time will not help you accomplish them.

I know this seems disturbingly obvious, but it really hit me hard this year. There were a TON of things I wanted to accomplish & get done, but I spent most of my time laying in bed watching Netflix instead.. I don’t even like watching TV that much… WTF.

8. Smile more, be kind & friendly, and make conversation with people.

I did a lot of this over the past 6 months. But I did it a TON on my recent Florida trip. And I found out that there are a lot of good, cool, interesting people out there that will talk to you about some pretty interesting shit. Listen to them, learn from them, give people a chance to tell you their story. Sometimes having meaningful conversations with unexpected people changes your outlook on life.

9. Take better care of yourself; Skin, body, teeth, health, mental state, etc.

I’m almost 24 and I’m already seeing and feeling the effects of not taking proper care of my body. Without turning this into a New Year’s Resolution, I’ll just leave it at; taking care of yourself is extremely important. Start young. Acquire healthy habits early on. #SELFCARE Understand that there’s only one alternative to being healthy…. 

10. Recognize toxic behavior and cut that shit out.

In yourself AND in others. Knock it off.. Being a bitch to your significant other for no reason other than you’re in a bad mood? Stop. Nitpicking, nagging, being negative? Quit it. Being walked all over and just letting it happen? “Giiiirl, you betta stahhp”. Seriously. Whatever your toxic behavior is that you’re letting consume your everyday life, change it.

That’s it, that’s all I learned in 2018.
Haha, jokes. 18′ was quite a turbulent year for me, these were just some of my top lessons that made the biggest difference.

I have an overwhelming amount of goals I’m setting and going over for 2019. I don’t even care that it’s a cliche. I’ll be spending the day going over these important life lessons (and others); studying them, digesting them, and inserting what I’ve learned from them into all of my goals for the new year.

Booyah.

Did you learn any important lessons in 2018?
What stuck out to you?
What changed you?
What caused you to grow?
Share some important shit you learned this year >

a cup of lo1 Comment

Why ‘Montana Laura’ Didn’t Feel Right Anymore

Changing the name of your blog is a dicey decision, no matter the popularity of it.
People tend to associate blogs with consistency.. as they should.
If you get into a blog, you get used to their schedule. Bloggers tend to have set days that they post, send out emails, post on social media, and they have certain icons and names that are true to them… And all of that can be blurred when said blogger changes their name.

But sometimes we have a change of heart, or life, that makes the current name of our blog unbearable. And in that instance I think it’s more than fair for followers to at least take the time to stick around and understand why.

If you were ever following me because you thought I’d be posting about hikes,  adventures, and typical things that revolve around Montana… you were in the wrong place anyway.

My content, for the most part wont change. But my heart did.

I came to the realization that Montana is no longer the thing I so definitively revolved my world around. For years after moving away, I yearned for it. I dreamt of it. I played scenarios in my mind over and over again of what life would be like when we finally moved home.. But then I had an epiphany. I came to another painful realization that A) It was being close to family and friends that I was yearning for, not the place itself and B) Montana now is nothing like the Montana I grew up in.
I lost my passion for Montana after two years of daily reminders that it was no longer the place I had painted of it in my mind. And that’s okay..

And please don’t get me wrong… I love Montana, I really do. I will forever stand up for it, speak highly of it, and probably live in it. But when you use a specific thing to revolve your name and “brand” around… it better damn well be something you are extremely passionate about. And for me, it’s just not Montana, anymore.

So I’d like to introduce you to A Cup of Lo.
Yes, it’s a play on words in which I replace the word Joe with my childhood nickname Lo. Yes it’s cheesy & punny and if you know anything about me, you know just how well that aligns with my sense of humor (thanks Dad). And yes, it’s a coffee reference, because again, if you know me you know how much I love coffee. Drinking it. Making it. Hooking my arm up to an IV of it. Talking about it. Owning books about it. Taking pictures of it. Dreaming about opening a coffee shop.

Coffee is one of those things that I just don’t shut up about… On a daily basis.
Which made me feel really really right about choosing this blog name.

Thanks for understanding my change of name, and most of all my change of heart. I hope you’ll grab a coffee & stick around.

 

A few of my social media handles have changed, such as the following!

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Facebook is still in the works because Facebook likes to makes everything difficult.

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5 of the Best Coffee Shops in the Flathead Valley

If you don’t already know, coffee is really really important to me. No, not just because it keeps me awake when I’m forced to get up in the mornings but because I LOVE making coffee.

Ever since I got my first coffee job at Green Beans Coffee Co. in Hawaii, I’ve been obsessed with making coffee. It’s truly something you have to work hard at to learn, and I thoroughly appreciate the process. And seeing as 50% of Americans (equivalent to 150 million peeps) drink espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, or iced/cold coffees, I’d say it’s pretty important to most of you, too.

So let’s talk favorites. I’ll take a sit down shop over the alternative any day. There’s nothing more comforting to me than sitting down in a coffee shop, sipping some fine ass bean juice, and reading or blogging. That is my happy place. But I don’t get to do that nearly as much as I’d like, so I frequently visit some of our lovely drive up shops. The following is a list of MY top 5 favorite shops in the Kalispell area.

5) Copper Mountain  – Kalispell + More (drive up)
Copper Mountain is an awesome little “chain” in Montana. They have NINE locations in Northwest Montana, which is pretty dang awesome if you ask me. These small drive up “huts” are not so small when it comes to what they offer. Breakfast, bagels, copper mountain moonshine, and awesome coffee. Fair warning, if you don’t like super sweet drinks, ask for ANY drink you order to be made “half-sweet”.

4) Sable Coffee – Kalispell (sit down + drive up)
Sable Coffee is a gorgeous new shop in North Kalispell. It has a beautiful and cozy interior, delicious coffee, and the perk of also having a drive through. Other than Starbucks and 1 tiny drive up shop that I don’t even know the name of, Sable is really the only coffee shop in North Kalispell. They have awesome themed drinks and are absolutely worth a stop!

3) Colter Coffee Roasting – Kalispell (sit down)
Forever my favorite. Forever and ever and ever. This place is what lovely coffee shop dreams are made of. Brick walls, rustic wood tables & seating, back-room couches & a downstairs “living room”.. This place is where it’s at. Not to mention, it’s open until 8 p.m. which is UNHEARD OF in the valley for a coffee. Imagine; Sitting in a cozy and dimly lit cafe, the strong smell of coffee and cinnamon fill the air, you’re looking out tall clean windows observing the quiet sleepy main street of downtown Kalispell. Time stands still while you listen to soothing indie folk music and the light chatter of people who like to take their time and escape the worries of real life.. While you take in the subtle beauty happening in front of your very eyes, you take a nibble of your freshly baked scone and a sip of your hot caramel apple cider, and you realize that no place has ever felt more like home. Sounds nice, right? It is.

2) CoPilot – Kalispell (drive up)
Oh CoPilot.. My second favorite drive up shop in the valley. This is a place that you go because it hits your top three needs for drive up coffees; 1) Speed 2) Amazing Beverages and 3) Awesome Baristas. Located in South Kalspell, this gorgeous little shop is slightly off the beaten path, on Airport Road. Here’s the kicker – they’re positioned directly in line with the Kalispell City Airport, so while you’re getting your morning coffee, you’ll most likely see small planes and helicopters landing and taking off, it’s quite a treat. Head to CoPilot for amazing coffee, made quickly and for a great price.


1) Flathead Flavor – Kalispell (drive up)
This wonderful drive up owned by the sweetest human on earth (Vanesha!) makes the best coffee in town. Hands down. Located in an amazingly convenient spot in Evergreen right off highway 35, her shop makes for the perfect pitstop on of your Flathead adventures. She also operates a coffee food truck that you can find at all kinds of events in Kalispell and the surrounding areas. Go see Vanesha for your perfect cup of Montana coffee.

This list was updated on 10/16/2021. I hope more and more places like this open up in the future, you can never have too many incredible coffee shops. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing local businesses thrive… and hey, maybe one day I’ll own a coffee shop of my own. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. (;
So who did I miss? What’s YOUR favorite coffee shop in the Flathead? Let me know in the comments!

a cup of lo1 Comment

First Coffee

One of my favorite things on this planet is coffee.
I know a lot of you can get on board with that.

It gets you through your mornings, soothes your soul, and fuels your adventures.
It’s delightful, world-renowned, and can be contrived in hundreds, possibly thousands of different ways. What’s not to love?
I would go as far as to say that I am passionate about coffee.

So when the amazing company I work for decided to do a new coffee themed shirt, I was like yaaaaaaas. I was super fortunate to get to come up with the concept for this design, then the wonderful Amanda from Wheelie Creative brought my idea to life, and voila!

Here it is, the magical-ness of coffee and adventure all in one beautifully comfortable cream sweater:

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Coffee & Explore Pullover

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Side note: See that precious Latte Pin? Cutest thing you’ve ever seen, huh? I got it at The Red Caboose in Whitefish.

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To Go Mug: Hobby Lobby, Olive Army Jacket: TJ Maxx, Jeans: Target, Shades: Ray Ban

I can’t wait to do tons of coffee drinking and some serious exploring in this bad boy.
Also, where are your favorite places to get coffee in the Flathead Valley?

First Coffee, and then we
EXPLORE.

signa

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