the great vanilla latte quest

There is a time in every young woman's life when she must go on a quest.
A quest for the most glorious vanilla latte the world has ever seen.

In an effort to find a homegrown gem among the Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts brews of the world, my sister and I tested out three cups of coffee from three different local coffeehouses on the beach. We rated the latte and its establishment on criteria like staff friendliness, latte flavor and even potential romantic encounters. The results? A LATTE FUN.

Coffeehouse #1
Gypsy style

This gypsy-themed coffee house meant well, it really did. Its name implied the perfect hipster hang out for after class, a place where one could comfortably grab a latte and recline into the plush layers of the shadowy, dark-curtained establishment while an indie record played somewhere in the background.



The gypsy cafe.
Oh, what it could have been!

Mood: 4.8 (not enough people in there, yo)
Latte: 7.3 (tame like a kitten; super sweet)
Friendliness: 5
Location: 6
Study spot: 6
Romance: 4 (there was that one old man reading a newspaper)
Warmth: 4
Music: 2 (maroon 5 & the script)
Price: 7

Coffeehouse #2
Paris style

There is something quite beautiful about a little cafe diner on the beach on a rainy day. Usually it's more bustling on busier afternoons, but it was surprisingly vacant.

Mood: 8.5

Latte: 7 (strong, needed more flavor, but in a cute cup) 

Friendliness: 9

Location: 7

Study Spot: 5 (more of a diner type feel)

Romance: 8 (ow ow!)

Warmth: 6.5

Music: 9 (The Beatles & Pink Floyd) 

Price: 9

Coffeehouse #3
Beachy Bohemian style

Kaylie and I had been to this coffeehouse once before, and it had left us with a less than favorable impression. It was a little dirty, and cluttered inside. There's a cute little courtyard outside, but it was messy, with some dirty dishes and coffee cups left strewn about. Nevertheless, we thought we'd give it a second try. Kaylie walked away a fan; I'm still uncertain. Maybe we'll come back a third time on a cool, breezy night when the courtyard lights are set up and there's live music.

Mood: 6 (a little messy)
Latte: 8 ("It's the most robust" - Kaylie)
Friendliness: 8
Location: 8.5
Study spot: 8
Romance: 6
Warmth: 8.3
Music: 7 (OK Go & some others)
Price: 5 (but still cheaper than Starbucks)

Which coffeehouse would you sip a vanilla latte from?