Manic Coffee

This past Friday was a high of TEN DEGREES! (That's 50 degrees for my American friends!) In February, no less! The whole city basically freaked out and folks were running around in shorts and tanks. I gleefully hopped on my flaming orange Brompton and biked around like a maniac! Then it was time to get down to business, so I stepped into Manic Coffee at College and Bathurst to get some serious drawing done!


Seated at the sunny front window I found myself baking like a sea bream dinner, so I quickly evacuated to shade a few spots over.


Okay, so about Manic. This is the shop that started the Coffee Revolution in Toronto. For a very long time, to us, the drink was synonymous with doughnuts, minor-league hockey and some dude named Tim. In 2007 founder Matthew Lee thought we deserved better. He created a shop that would set the foundation for many to follow, one that focuses on educating the public about the tastiness of coffee!


I'm no coffee hound myself, but I know a good cup when I taste one. And if I'm only going to drink a handful of coffees in a month, they certainly aren't going to come from Starbucks.


The crowd here is pretty friendly. Lots of people from nearby U of T working away on laptops or sorting through mounds of textbooks. This guy was in school for business and was talking with his friend about "math things", which completely went over my head.


This poor woman was there for hours pouring over stacks of research.


Russian fur hats have got to be one of the world's most adorable clothing items.


A woman fresh from Holt Renfrew orders up a drink.





Not only is her hat awesome, but you should have seen her pants! Bright purple leather!


He was talking very loudly about his band in an attempt to impress us all. Didn't really work.


Sitting on the rad, waiting for a friend.


Studying hard.


This guy was talking to his friend about a work trip he was leaving for. Sounded pretty fun!


Another girl drawing in her sketchbook. A sight I don't see nearly enough of in this city!!