Grover’ Mill Coffee House in West Windsor, NJ (photo by Christina Rudczynski)
Coffee shops and writing go together. They just do. In addition to being known for their coffee, many coffee shops are known for the writers who have frequented them. J.K. Rowling is said to have begun writing the Harry Potter series in the Elephant House in Edinburgh, Scotland, and writers Rainer Maria Wilke and Franz Kafka were known to frequent the Café Slavia in Prague.
It’s often in coffee shops, where we writers find inspiration. From people-watching busy commuters as they grab a cup of coffee and race off to their nine-to-five, to being among other writers who are hard at work, there is inspiration all around. In coffee shops we have everything we need – an internet connection, a comfortable place to sit, and a never-ending supply of hot coffee to keep us going.
For me, coffee shops and traveling go together as well. Wherever I travel, finding a quiet cafe to enjoy of cup of coffee (or tea) and sit for a while gives me a chance to soak in all that I’ve seen in the new place I’m visiting. In West Windsor, NJ (though it is not a place I can consider “new”) I’ve found a coffee shop that offers all of the things I look for when I write or travel, with a fun and “out of this world” theme.
The Grover’s Mill Coffee House in the Southfield Shopping Center is cozy and vibrantly decorated with fun memorabilia celebrating Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds. The radio broadcast that debuted in 1938 announced that Martians had invaded Grover’s Mill, NJ. The Grover’s Mill Coffee House story continues on to say that the reason the Martians came, was because they were looking for the local farmer’s coffee. And to make a long story short (which you can read in full on the Grover’s Mill Coffee House website), said invasion led to the formation of the Grover’s Mill Coffee Company, offering “the best coffee the galaxy can offer to humanity.”
Besides the fun “out of this world” theme, the coffee house also offers a variety of entertainment and hosts many special events each week. Monday nights are Singles Nights and Tuesdays are Open Mic Nights. On Fridays and Saturdays you can find many talented local musicians performing, and occasionally, there is even a Comedy Night. A calendar of events is printed and available inside the coffee house each month.
For more information about the Grover’s Mill Coffee House, you can visit their website: http://www.groversmillcoffee.com/index.html.
The Bella Coola tea is wonderful over ice (photo by Christina Rudczynski)
If you decide to stop by and see me writing there, be sure to say hello!
~Melissa
The Jersey Girl
The Jersey Girl 