Cafe Bella – Rio Rancho, New Mexico

Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze. It maketh me to wake in green pastures: It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses. It restoreth my buzz: It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for its name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of addiction, I will fear no Equal: For thou art with me; thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me. Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of The Starbucks: Thou anointest my day with pep; my mug runneth over. Surely richness and taste shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the House of Mochas forever. ~Author Unknown Among the many unflattering stereotypes about Information Technology (IT) professionals is that we’re all propeller-headed Poindexters hopped up on Mountain Dew, Red Bull and strong coffee. As if to lend credence to that stereotype, the Intel cafeteria where I worked for eighteen years provided free coffee to its employees from the ubiquitous (and unnamed here) industry leader–as much of it as employees can drink. All day long programmers and systems analysts turn down the volume on Metallica, doff their headsets and leave the sanctity…

Tranquil Buzz Coffee Shop – Silver City, New Mexico

Where have all the hippies gone?  Long time passing.  Where have all the hippies gone?  Long time ago.  Where have all the hippies gone?  Would you believe they’ve all gone to Tranquil Buzz, a coffee shop with perhaps the best coffee shop vibe in the country.  Boasting of the “best coffee in the cosmos,” Tranquil Buzz lives the motto “Love lives here.”  We practically lived there, too.  Well, at least for the first two hours of our day during the three days we spent in Silver City.  Fortunately the AirBnB at which we stayed was directly across the street from what has become a community meeting place with regular events such as poetry readings, open mic music and written word, local and regional professional musician performances, drum circles, meditation, and more. Approach Tranquil Buzz through the Arizona Street gated entrance and you might be reminded of Swiss Family Robinson’s treehouse with boardwalks that meander under towering deciduous trees and past a small pond in which koi swim merrily.  Along the boardwalk are several nooks and crannies  in which coffee drinkers enjoy al fresco coffee drinking.  It reminded me of the club houses my brothers and I built with our friends…