coffee diaries | the local market & kitchen

"Taylor, you'd love this place." That was the first I've heard of The Local Market in Ship Bottom, NJ, from my mom, who knows a good pick when she sees one. On our morning outings, this place is the exact thing we look for. Something new, cutting-edge, and exceeding our expectations. We've been talking more and more about what it would be like to open our own cafe...and I am pretty sure it would be just like this! It is literally PERFECT, and I can't wait to share about it to all of you coffee and beach lovers out there!

So...let me preface this post by stating a few things to help you understand my very strong enthusiasm (!!!) about this place...

a) It's located in the heart of Long Beach Island...my childhood vacation spot/eternal happy place.

b) the baristas have beautiful latte art skills! 

c) it's not just a cafe...it's not just a market...it's both!

d) The interior is jawdroppingly gorgeous, bright and clean

e) Italian coffee and espresso (ahhh, all the heart eyes!)

I've pretty much given it away in those points right there, but seriously the vibes of this coffeehouse are so unreal. It is chic, trendy, but beachy-classic. 

Some of my favorite parts of this beachy interior are the custom benches and furniture made from reclaimed wood. The whole interior reminds me of a cross between Australian coastal cool and classy, elegant, small-town charm. So much attention went into the details here. Above the windows, little wooden plaques adorn the perimeter of the ceiling to remember the hurricanes from the past several years. Not a detail went unnoticed, including the little vases of wildflowers perfectly arranged on each table (they offer bunches for sale, too! swoon).

Now, let's get to the whole reason we are here...the coffee. I ordered a latte at $4, but was impressed with the smoky and nutty taste before I even realized that they were using Lavazza coffee! I swear, these people were reading my mind...Italian coffee, or anything Italian, is the way to my heart. So, the latte was absolutely delicious. The kitchen offers other pastries and deli goods, like homemade italian breads braided with prosciutto, simple panini, cookies and croissants. They also have bagels, muffins, and fresh fruit - this doesn't even count the grocery part of the store (final photo) which includes everything from gourmet dips, fresh-pressed juices, organic snacks, pasta, fish, and meats. Outside, surrounding the store is a pergola with bountiful flowers, heaping hanging baskets, and small garden wares that are also for sale. Who thought of this place, and how can I meet them to shake their hand in congratulations? You've done it - created the cafe of my dreams, on my favorite island in the world. 

The tricky thing is the location - LBI is notoriously tricky in this way. Located a block or so off the main boulevard, the Local Market and Kitchen is an easy walk in between the beach and the bay. If you've been to LBI before, you know it's really narrow and takes only minutes to walk from ocean-to-bay, depending on what town you're in.  Once you're around, though, you can't miss this place because it offers great parking (bike friendly, too) and takes up a whole corner with its plentiful outdoor seating, garden, and signage. 

LBI has just gained another amazing cafe worth checking out! 

The Local Market and Kitchen

604 Central Avenue

Ship Bottom, New Jersey

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seaside september weekend

 Some of my thoughts from our fall beach weekend, which is turning into quite a tradition:

• I am discovering that I am in love with the allure of ships. I think my favorite place at the beach is the inlet, where all the giant steel fishing boats sleep. We went there one sunset and saw fishermen unloading their day's bounty, which included small blue fish. I asked the fisherman, who was very kind, if I could snap a few pictures of him doing his work. He obliged, and that black & white photo above is one of my new favorites.
• We also have a weird new go-to beach that I like to call Carcass Beach (sounds lovely, right)? It's actually gross but I always leave there as wide-eyed and curious as a kid. There is almost always a scattering of fish vertebrae, crab legs, and that pungent smell of fish. This is weird...but I kind of like it. At a distance, of course.
• To go with my new love of watching ships, I have become obsessed with tracking them and reading up on shipwrecks. I started reading a book, Shadow Divers, which I am halfway through...it is SO COOL. All about shipwrecks scattered along the coast of New Jersey. I borrowed the rental house's copy but didn't finish in time, so I bought my own copy and am patiently awaiting its arrival in the mail.

I love the beach in the fall when the crowds have left. It is so inspiring and beautiful, with the most enchanting smell of autumn in the air. It is the season for spices, orange hues, scents and tastes - but by the sea everything is better. 

I woke up every morning around 5am to see the sunrise - thanks to my mom, for getting me out of bed. Once on the roof, we saw the most stunning vistas, even if it was a cloudy daybreak. I also liked watching the ships bob in the water - even the big freighters and fishing ships, too. 

 - - - 

Last post I announced I was changing my public settings on my blog and going to go "private." So if you're reading this, thanks for staying on :)

ciao xo! 

The Inlet

Here's a place I could stay for hours! I love roaming the docks and seeing all the great steely giants bob in the soft waters. I particularly love the sounds and smells. Creaking wood, in particular, is what I hear most. And the potent smell of fish guts - sounds horrendous, I know - is quite endearing in this context (to me at least).

I have often wondered where these ships go, where they have been, who has been on them, what great catches they have seen. One of them is even a celebrity. I could wonder endlessly about what they have seen, the storms they rode out, and the adventures they've had.

ciao xo

last sweet moments

Helloooo and happy Wednesday everyone! I am promising, this is my last photo dump from the beach. In an effort to try to reconnect to that good and relaxed pace, I'm visiting it one last time. Oh, the last sweet moments of that weekend. The memories are just so vivid and colorful still. We enjoyed every ounce of it, from breakfasts al fresco to marveling at the resilience of post-Sandy NJ. It is amazing what our little island did to bounce back to life after that incredible storm.

Now that real life has started back up and we are getting further and further into this glorious autumn,  I am feeling pretty good about how I have been balancing work and my life. It's something I worried about in the summer...like, how will I find the time to run and create lesson plans? Of course it has been tough. The one-day-at-a-time mentality has gotten me through it all. It allows me to savor each day.

One thing I haven't been doing is journaling - blogging doesn't count! I need to get back into my poor little journal. That's another goal for October I should probably add to my list...

anyway, how is your week going? anything happening?
ciao! xo

when in doubt, look up.

One of my favorite quotes, ever: 

The Lord whispers in the subtle breeze and screams of his glories in the sunsets.

I don't know who originally said it - but whoever you are, thank you.

I got it from a book I received as a gift.

"Surfer Girl - A Guide to the Surfing Life" by Sanoe Lake.

aka the amazing badass surfer chica from Blue Crush!

GUESS WHAT.

my book is autographed by the author.

and when my mom bought it for me, AS A GIFT,

I wasn't there to meet her...

gaaaaaaahhhh

okay, wait, that wasn't the point. back to the quote.

is that not the best quote ever?

it completely sums up everything I think of every time 

I see a glorious sunset or sunrise like the ones above.

Can you even tell the difference between the sunsets and sunrises?

they are just too beautiful and too exquisite for words.

I am so glad that over the past couple of days, I have been looking up.

Literally and figuratively.

Figuratively, keeping a positive outlook. Living in the present. Being happy.

Being thankful and aware of how good I have it.

Literally - looking to the sky.

At night, seeing the stars.

Helps when you have a rooftop deck at the beach (see green house above - our digs from last wknd)!

But taking in a moment - no blinking - to watch the dusty night unfold before your eyes,

to really see the twinkling stars - 

it makes you feel so small in a good way.

Each shooting star I saw, I made a wish. I saw 3 over the weekend.

When in doubt, look up. Another great quote.

When's the last time you looked up?

happy friday, ciao! xo