media covering the design & lifestyle of coffee & chocolate
THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in 2017 AND UPDATED ON JULY 3, 2020.
How do you choose which chocolate bar to buy? Sometimes, you just have to listen to what speaks or calls to you. An Italian brand, Amedei, on the top shelf at a fine foods grocery store in DC, whispered in Italian: Andiamo.
Fattoush Cafe is the best answer for a delicious meal and unique cup of coffee in Haifa, Israel.
The cafe sits on a row of restaurants where beautiful Israeli hostesses tempt you with menus and deals. But Fattoush Cafe doesn’t need a beautiful hostess; the restaurant’s design is stunning all on its own. Only a small wooden stool with a stack of menus greets you, along with the smell of delicious dishes.
Time Cupsoul feels attracted to secluded outdoor patios — “magic gardens” at cafe’s, if you will. A lover of nature, drinking coffee surrounded by trees and flowers adds to the feeling of inner peace. It’s the feeling that creates a time cupsoul, a coffee experience of inspiration and calm. Fattoush Cafe’s garden patio is visible from the street, with the patio tables protected by vines and olive trees. Yes, this looked more than suitable.
Continue reading “Fattoush Cafe//פטוש: Best Coffee in Haifa”
We write this post with heavy hearts. Sitting here in Washington, DC, as with many other international capitals, we are witnessing history. Every day, masses of people flood the streets of DC to protest, marching to the White House and elsewhere. Helicopters fly, extremely close to the ground, every night before curfew starts. The sounds and sights are intense. We are in pain and we are here to listen and to learn. If you are in DC right now, there are numerous ways to support the black community. One thing you might consider is purchasing goods from local black-owned businesses, such as a dessert from delicious The Sweet Lobby, or check out one of the many online lists of businesses. Order online. And stay safe.
Yesterday, we had the fortune to attend the Chocolate Business Webinar: The State of the Industry and Next Steps, held by the Chocolate Alliance, and we want to share some key takeaways with you about how to navigate as a chocolate shop or brand during COVID-19. Held on #BlackoutTuesday, much of the discussion was focused on the United States and the unrest felt here. In many ways, the panel felt not like a lecture to the consumer, but a letter to the industry itself. The key takeaways include: focus first and foremost on human health (at office, factory and at origin), embed transparency into your business model and innovate your offerings and how you share your stories.
New craft chocolate strategy: human health, transparency, innovation
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“assortment of vegan chocolates” by QuintanaRoo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Cafe Chocolat –
“Hey Washington DC! Feb 8 – Feb 14, Neuhaus Chocolates will take over Cafe Chocolat. Stop by, pick up some amazing chocolate for Valentine’s Day (week)! […] It is the first time ever that Neuhaus Chocolates will do a pop-up inside another shop, and we’re very excited to host them.”
Continue reading “Where to Buy the Best Valentine’s Day Chocolate Gifts in Washington, DC”
Kramerbooks, the DC institution, is simply a wonderful place to visit. It’s the perfect spot to browse novels of all kinds, to enjoy a leisurely brunch or late night cocktail, to read snippets of new epics, and generally, to delight the senses. The aroma of fresh brunch coming from the cafe, the texture of crisp book pages waiting patiently to be read, a quiet conversation from the patrons browsing… It’s magic. And now, you can step up to Kramers Coffee, its new indoor coffee bar and get a grab-n-go cup of joe and sip caffeine while you read, serene.
Very recently, perhaps a few weeks ago, Kramerbooks quietly restructured part of their back wall — or, let’s say — remodeled. What changed? Not a huge amount, never fear. The interior back entrance to the restaurant/cafe has been opened up so one of the walls on the left side now allows patrons to look into part of the kitchen. There’s a new counter facing the Connecticut Avenue entrance with an espresso machine peeking from around the corner. This is the new coffee bar! Now patrons can get coffee from the counter rather than sitting down in the restaurant/cafe, which is still a great option for more leisurely mornings. In the go-go-go culture of DC, this Kramerbooks coffee bar meets that culture, but provides the classic bookstore charm and ambiance that we all know and love.
We love scooping new coffee shops in DC. By opening this coffee bar, Kramerbooks has now strategically placed itself as a “coffee shop,” too. This business model strategy actually began long before 2020; have you noticed that Kramerbooks has served/serves “House Blend Coffee” on their exisiting breakfast/burnch menu? That’s because Kramerbooks is allegedly a coffee roaster, too! We had a conversation with a Kramers barista and apparently, Kramerbooks roasts their coffee beans in Maryland. More to come on that! We’ll promise to let you know as soon as we find out more.
In the meantime, check out the coffee bar for a cup of takeaway coffee — every day starting at around 8 am. It seems to be very soft launch, however, so please exercise some patience as the hours seem flexible this week. Find Kramerbooks & Afterwards at: 1517 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036
Continue reading “2020 Travel Wish List: Global Chocolateries”
We respect that your time is precious; our reverence for time — whether for inspiration or reflection — is literally in our name, time cupsoul. When we listen to podcasts, to love one, we set the bar extremely high. Here are our favorite chocolate-themed podcasts that feel more like nourishment than noise:
Greetings from Washington, DC, dear readers. How are you faring the first three days of 2020?
Welcome to the newly designed timecupsoul.com! We’ve moved to a magazine theme with columns. This design echoes the intricacies of newspaper layout that we loved as features editor during our yesteryears…
In addition to the new theme that we’re trying out, (OXFORD made by WordPress), we’re proud to present our new logo. Making this logo was completely a DIY project, done 100% at home with no prior logo design experience.
Continue reading “DIY: Learn How to Design a New Logo for Your Coffee or Chocolate Shop/Brand”
