American coffee at first sight

Where do I start?

Is it the autumn leaves? 

Is it the amazing restaurants and bars?

Or is it the beautiful architecture?

Lets start with coffee.

Just like the coffee culture in Australia, coffee means more than just coffee here.

As Australians, we fuss about the quality of our coffee, and so we should when our cafés greet us at the door with career baristas piloting espresso machines that cost more than ten thousand dollars.

But here, a host will greet you at the door and take you to a table instead. Service comes first in America, and let me tell you, it's extremely refreshing to have career waiters and waitresses who take their job seriously, bringing the highest standard of customer service to each and every table. That's why people here will travel out of their way to patronage certain diners and restaurants. 

Because let's face it, Aussies can be lazy. To be fair, we're quite spoilt by the choices of good cafés we have directly and immediately around us. I'm willing to bet that every town and suburb in Australia (well, at least in Sydney and Melbourne) will have one decent place that serves a good coffee and probably a decent meal to pair it with. 

Therefore (and quite rightly so) It's in our nature as Aussies to always demand quality coffee, and judge those who can't produce a good cup logically because the bar has been raised high in the industry, which became what is now the norm.  

However, what I've noticed here in America is that everything starts with comforts; 

comfort food, comfort service, comfort price, and obviously - comfort coffee. 

Coffees representation here in America is a warm mug of familiarity, with a side of cream. In an establishment where you will be taken care of well, share a conversation with the server or even the table next to you and enjoy nonstop refills until you've had enough. It's hospitality at it's finest.

Some places do a better brew than others, but otherwise it's not about where the coffee came from or where it was roasted, but where it's served and the experience around it. 

In conclusion, it's unfair to say that Americans have no coffee culture - something a lot of Australians like to mention to those who are traveling to the US. The truth is, all cultures are different and you should never compare yours to anyone else's. 

I personally accept all coffee cultures and I see the beauty in all. 

As well as being a hospitality professional myself, I really do appreciate a high level of customer service being delivered to me and, in all honestly, I would rather have the bad coffee with the great service rather than the reverse any day.

Next, I will start writing about the American espresso café culture, which I feel is different to the American coffee culture, but until then - Welcome to the American coffee world!

Fourteen hours of flight time - Hello Dubai!

That must've been the longest plane ride I've taken so far. Fourteen hours straight. I normally go as far as Bangkok, but this time I had another five hours added on top. 

Luckily, I had two seats to myself in the brand new, most gorgeous A380 thanks to Emirates airlines, and since I'm only a little guy, I had all the space to sleep and move around as I pleased. 

So here I am at Dubai Airport. Yes, I took the long way 'round to get to Chicago, but I'm glad I chose my connecting flight here because this place makes a great stop over. Apart from being an amazing airport in general, it also allowed me the chance to take a break and adjust to a new timeline and without question, I hunted down a place to have my first coffee. Judging by their espresso machine and the person behind it, I chose a place called Giraffe. 

The coffee itself isn't bad per se, but the winner here was the organic fruit and nuts bowl; with Greek yoghurt, almonds and pistachios for breakfast. For some reason, fruit always taste better overseas. 

In saying that, the water here tastes and smells funny. Filtered water is bearable, but tap water has a really odd smell to it. Hmm..

I have a hotel room waiting for me on the way back so I won't write too much about Dubai airport this time 'round. 

So,

Thirty minutes till my flight to O'Hare airport in Chicago now. I've regulated my water consumption well, and got myself some cold and flu tablets for the flight. Hopefully I won't be sneezing every fifteen minutes this time. 

Another fourteen hours ahead. 

Onwards! 

Finally here. Hello Chicago!

Wow - what a plane ride!

Believe it or not, I had the whole row to myself. I could literally lay down and have a proper nap in economy class! I mean, the first leg of the journey had me having two seats to myself, and I thought that was lucky, but this is something else. Emirates airlines, you're pretty amazing. 

So, I'm here! After thirty four hours of being in transit, but I loved every second of it. 

Reunited with my cousin again after five years and it felt like we never left.

First stop was an epic meal at a Chinese restaurant in Chicago's Chinatown square. What I couldn't get my head around was how cheap it was. The meal we had came to just under fifty dollars. If we had the equivalent in Sydney, we would've paid a minimum of eighty dollars. Easily.

Arrived at my cousins house, hung out with the family, had a well needed shower and as a night cap I brewed some Nicaraguan coffee through an Aeropress - Already it feels like home.