Expos are great but grueling. So much terrain to cover; so much stuff to look at. The Sun-n-Fun 2012 Fly-in & Expo was no exception. In fact, it was even more intense because I volunteered for the radio station - second year in a row! - doing sponsor promos before I arrived and interviewing exhibitors on site. In situations like this, coffee is a must. This year, my husband and private pilot, Mike, and I had the pleasure of trying Flying High Coffee on the grounds (ha! no pun intended!). The coffee was fantastic, and the fact that they give a portion of their proceeds to aviation programs enriched the experience.
However, I need caffeine before I get to an event, not just during, ideally coupled with a bit of sweet. Hence our trip to Black & Brew Coffee House & Bistro in lovely downtown Lakeland. What a treat...for all the senses! The coffee house & bistro is situated on the outskirts of a charming plaza in the center of town. The plaza is green (at least in early spring) and delightfully accented with park benches and outdoor-themed artwork. The bright yellow sculpture of a bicycling lady was just one charming example. The coffee house offers a small dining and chatting area en plein air, and the inside features cafe tables that seat two comfortably, four if you don't mind being cozy.
The self-serve counter was staffed by pleasant baristas. My husband scored a free cup of coffee by checking in on Foursquare. After his first sip, he proclaimed it "pretty good", which, for him, is high praise. I decided to get my caffeine fix from a bracing cup of Earl Grey, bagged, not leafy. Between us, we ordered a blueberry scone and a pair of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Yowsa! The cookies were creamy and flavorful, and I instantly wanted more. Thankfully, we were already en route to the fly-in by the time I realized this, saving my waistline and my wallet. The scone was buttery and crumbly with just the right amount of blueberries and a sprinkling of crunchy sugar crystals on the top.
Our visit to Black & Brew took only a few minutes, and I regretted that. I would have loved to have returned and sampled their lunch options while sitting outside gazing out at the plaza. {Sigh} Since we go to Sun-n-Fun every year, I will make sure I do just that in 2013.
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