BEAN THERE, DONE THAT >>>

Northwesterners love coffee as much as Sasquatch, flannel and karaoke. In fact, Coffee houses in the Pacific Northwest are as omnipresent as slot machines are in Vegas. They line the streets vying for your attention. They beckon you to sip its brews, utilize its Wi-Fi and commune with friends and associates. Many Northwesterners opt for a mega-chain stop due to its overwhelming convenience. Others believe chains are too cookie-cutter and "normal." They opt for the independently owned variety with lots of TLC and personal touches poured into the setting, local art, cozy ambiance and hip entertainment - interesting enough to observe once you drink your coffee.

Artist Marsha Glaziere muses on the latter in her book, Eclectic Coffee Spots in Puget Sound: Paintings, Photographs, Musings, Recipes. The book beautifully captures Pacific Northwest coffee shops with paintings and prose inspired by her coffee house visits over a four-year period.

Friday Nov. 30, Glaziere will be visiting one of our favorite local coffee shops, A Rhapsody in Bloom Florist and Café Latte on Sixth Avenue, to sign her book and chat coffee.

The book includes paintings of the Olympia Roasting Company in Olympia and Tully's Coffee in the historic Bostwick building in downtown Tacoma.

A coffee table book may be just the inspiration you need to revisit old favorites or discover new roasted bean potions. Or, it's an awesome gift for the holidays.

RHAPSODY IN BLOOM FLORIST AND CAFÉ LATTE, FRIDAY, NOV. 30, 5-9 P.M., FREE ADMISSION, 3709 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.761.7673

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