The BEST Coffee Shop In DAYTON, OH!

I was Born and raised in the Gem City so I had to represent my hometown and tell you about a special place to me in Dayton, Ohio. When wanting to get high quality coffee from humans that know what they are doing in Dayton your options are limited. If you want the best in town head over to Press Coffee Bar on Wayne Ave.

This coffee bar takes simplicity to the next level, or a simpler level. Press has a gorgeous open space so you can see and understand everything they are doing because is it happening in front of you. 

Press uses multiple brew methods for example: Aeropress, Hario v60 single cup, Chemex, Dutch Stlye Cold Drip and many more. You’ll never run out of something new to try.  There pastries are baked at home then brought into the shop so you can taste a little love in every bite. 

What makes a great cup of coffee is everything coming together via the barista, the final touch. With that, so many hands come into contact with every element before your barista even grinds the beans. Press makes sure that everything they use is at the best quality possible, even the water. This care and thought is what separates Press from everyone else, the purist approach.

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Turning 22 on Table Mountain!

I always feel the need to do something epic for my birthday. This hasn't always been true but these last couple years have been crazy and this one fits right in. Last year, I spent my birthday quite intoxicated with one of my favorite people in the world, Markus, and a ton of german friends! Traveling Europe at the time, Markus showed me certainly how to celebrate. The stories from that night are embarrassing, crazy and just generally insane. If I run into you sometime ask me about it but for now they are not internet appropreate. Then flying to London same day to make it the longest day of my life. Birthdays seem to be a mark of new beginnings.

Since I wasn't back packing around Europe this year I decided to explore the Pacific Northwest, Washington to be exact. For a while now I've had a urge to climb a mountain in Washington by my self and decided that my birthday was a great excuse to do it. Table Mountain it was. One of the most gruleing hikes around with every obstickle you could imagine. Oh, and it was raining the first day. 

After searching for the trail head to this monster for a while I finally gave up and excepted that I couldn't find it and picked a good looking path to me. With or without a path I was getting to the top of this mountain. Starting off with a easy walking path it wasn't to bad, even in the rain. Then the path started to get steeper and steeper. There were multiple forks in the path multiple times as this path runs next to and sometimes with the Pacific Crest Trail. After hiking for a couple hours in the rain up this giant hill I managed to see someone else. Gary was in sandals because he was a nut and told me that I was on the path to the top and only had 5 more miles to go but those were going to feel like 20. Also, that I should plan to cry or puke at least once. Wow, great pep talk there Gary.   

After what felt like a lifetime I reached a sign with a "You are here" map. What was interesting about this sign is that there were a handful of notes, written or taped on. Some were advice, arrows of easier paths, warnings like "Massive bee hive at 3,125 feet. Stung 32 times" and motivational quotes. If you ever make it to this point on Table Mountain you'll find my mark on the far right side that reads, "Bric Bain 8.31.15." Here on was by far the hardest part. Almost a vertical climb in to the forest and boulder field . Lets just say it took me a long while so I'll give you some back story on Table Mountain and the Bridge of Gods in the means time.

Around 1,000 years ago there was a massive earth quake that caused a giant landslide from the north side of the Columbia River, damming the river and creating a inland sea. A hundred years or so went by and the water eroded the dam creating a natural stone bridge. This natural bridge became known as The Bridge of God to the Indians and is in multiple Native American legends. The landslide was from Table Mountain and I set up camp and slept on the the edge of where this landslide originally happened 1,000 years ago. 

Reaching the summit was worth it and beautiful, one of the best views of Columbia River. It was also beyond windy so I weighed my tent down with heavy rocks so I didn't blow off the cliff to my death in the middle of the night while I was dreaming in the clouds. 

After hiking, climbing and hitting 3,419 feet of elevation I started the descent. This was almost just as challenging as I had to go down all of the vertical bolder fields and climbing routes. Making it back to the base in mostly one piece I felt it was my obligation to visit the new Bridge of The Gods. See the old bridge created by the earthquake ended up eroding almost completely so a new modern bridge was build and named after the old. This bridge is now famous in it own right along with the legends. Being a huge finishing point for tons of hikers from the Pacific Crest Trail even being featured in the movie "The Wild."

This was not the same type of nuts my 21st birthday was but just as crazy in a completely different way. Would have not spent a moment differently and while I didn't cry or puke, I promise, it was a challenging one. Now I'm 22 and writing about another crazy adventure and excited for many many many more. 

Bric Bain

Good Coffee

Yeezus. I have been to a good amount of coffee shops in my time and I have to say that Good Coffee is my top shop in Portland. A new and great company filled with slick design, good company and even better coffee. Don't let the name fool you. Good Coffee has amazing coffee. Carrying some of the best beans in town. 

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The interior design just makes me want to cry its so dam good looking. Out of the two shops they have I have to say that Division St. is my favorite. Its a hard to pick but the openness of the shop sucks me in. When you feel like you are in a photograph you know that the interior design is that good. Make sure you don't get sucked into the couch. If you do you will not move because it is do darn comfy.

The smallest things make all the difference in design. The wood shelves above the couch have the best little knick knacks. From tea pots to a old scale to the cheeky little green plants. 

In the center of the shop they sell beans from all of there roasters along with the best basics of coffee making. Coffee these days has become a destination place instead of the old fashion homemade. Practicing homemade coffee is amazing in understanding what actually goes into making black gold. Best practices are best understood by doing. 

Throw out that lame old coffee maker and pick up a Chemex and hand grinder. It will change your life and force mindfulness into what you are putting into your body. 

Third wave coffee is what the cool kids are calling it these days. But really we are starting to understand quality and appreciating the work that goes into the exotic beans that have dominated our lives. Just think about how exotic the coffee bean is and how much work it takes to get from one part of the world to another. Think about how many hard working hands it has gone through to arrive at your lips. Portland knows quality.

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Every barista that works here at Good Coffee has a huge back story filled with experience. All coming together to make the perfection that is Good Coffee. You can tell that the people that work here have a eye for cleanliness. After working in the restaurant business for a quite a while there is one lesson I learned that these guys follow through with. Staying busy. I haven't seen these guys stand still for a second. Always making coffee, talking to customers and cleaning. Maybe they are just caffeinated out the ass. 

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Good Coffee is truly everything I have ever wanted in a coffee shop. Some top shops have everything but something. Always thinking about about how to improve places that I go. More of this, less of that. Not here. Here I feel at home.

When in Portland next check this place. Come chill on the comfy blue couch or sit out side and enjoy the blazing hot summer and cool off with some iced caffeine. Tell them I sent you and don't leave until you get the coffee shakes. Learn more about Good Coffee and what they are all about.

http://www.goodcoffeepdx.com

https://instagram.com/goodcoffeepdx

Stay caffeinated my friends.

Bric Bain

Wenatchee National Forest

Yo, this weekend was mad. Its been a while since I've disconnected from the world of the technology and the internet. I'm a bit addicted to my phone I have to admit. Always checking it the minute I wake up and before I go to bed and a million times in-between.

Started the journey by meeting up with some long time friends of mine up in Washington and we rented a cabin in the middle of Wenatchee National Forest. We stayed on Fish Lake which is a smaller version of Wenatchee Lake. When first getting there Ade and I wanted to check out this beach we heard so much about. After a ridiculous amount of attempts we couldn't find this guy. Followed and re-followed the directions that were given to us. As I always say though its the journey that matters most and this explains my point exactly. Like I said we couldn't find the beach but we explored Fish Lake like no other. First we found a abandoned airport. This massive long and narrow field was the only place I didn't see 125ft trees. After finding the airport I decided to follow a road on Google Maps that looked like it led to something interesting. This road was made of the finest dirt I had ever felt. Turning my silver car into a light brown color, leaving a solid quarter inch of dust on it. Eventually this long road like path led to a locked gate and we started on foot. For some reason I decided to go barefoot for this one. I didn't encounter the normal problems you would associate with walking barefoot. There were rocks and weeds but my biggest problem was trying not to step on dead fish. Let me say that again, dead fish. Not one or two but everywhere which led us to the assumption that there was a bear near. 

After walking down this long untaken care of road we arrived at a town, a abandoned town. As if everyone was having a good time on the lake and randomly picked up in left. I walked into a couple houses and they hadn't been touched. Newpapers, VHS tapes and the over all atmosphere made me think that no one had been here since the 70's. The docks on the water had been over taken by bright green moss. Boats lined up next to the water as if they were about to go in for a summer dip. The feeling of no one around for miles and no one had been in this town in decades was such a crazy feeling. Walking into the history of this old lake side town was astonishing. 

After exploring this time piece we headed back in fear that a bear might come back any minute. Another friend arrived back at the cabin minutes after we got back from a day of exploring. I cooked some burgers and grilled veg for a feast! Dans 21 birthday was celebrated and left us repenting the next morning. This led us to spend the next morning going to Wenatchee lake. We explored the mouth of the lake then hiked further down to Emerald Island. 

Usually I post photos with these blogs but I'm not going to this time. I took a real disconnect this weekend, living minimal. I want you to experience the same because no photograph can capture the feeling of peacefulness. No words can describe the look of the stars late at night. For now you'll have to use these words for form a imagination. 

In these times its hard not to be addicted to the technology that we now take for granted. There is no going back to a time of silence. Yet, there are still corners of the world that force us to disconnect. When it happens to you next, don't be frustrated that your text won't send and you have no bars. Imbrase a time of quiet because soon even the corners of disconnect will connect. 

Also, in a sad failure, we managed to find the beach we had been looking for the entire time at the very last moment as we were leaving. Ironic much. 

Journey > Destination

Bric Bain