Wednesday 30th October, 2024
11:29, University Library
Good morning! On this fine, cloudy day, I woke up at 6:15am to the sound of birdsong and couldn’t get back to sleep, yet the idea of getting up to study felt equally unbearable. So, I lay in bed, daydreaming for an hour until I finally willed myself up—a whole 15 minutes before my alarm.
I’ve decided that getting up at 6am to study is a noble goal, one I’d planned to start today, but it might be more of a gradual journey. Just waking up early felt like a win, and I had this optimistic energy that made me want to leave the house and try something new. That ‘something new’ was Blank Street Coffee.
Instead of heading to my usual station, I went to Tottenham Court because, according to Google Maps, there are two Blank Street Coffee locations nearby. Using my detective skills (a.k.a., scanning Google review photos), I figured out which one had decent seating and made my way there—just a short two-minute walk. I achieved my daily side quest within three hours of waking! Not bad, eh?
Daily Side Quest: Try the iced pistachio latte from Blank Street Coffee
Review: I didn’t expect to jump on the hype, but this latte was actually amazing. I notoriously avoid sweet coffee drinks, and my friends and family know this. But this pistachio latte was really good. It tasted like actual pistachio with a hint of caramelized sugar, and it had a sort of warm, slightly burnt-sugar note. Oddly, it felt like a ‘warm’ drink, even though it was iced. Anyway, I’d absolutely have this again.
When I told my friend, she mentioned she’s been wanting to try their matcha latte, which seems to be popular here. I saw quite a few people holding iced green lattes, so it must be a favorite. I’ve had some questionable matcha lattes in the past (think bland milk with a hint of dust), but after this pistachio surprise, I might give it a go. They also have a strawberries & cream iced latte that sounds fun to try.
Atmosphere in Blank Street Coffee: Minimalistic, clean, cozy, with small round tables and a couple of busy baristas. There was a morning queue of office workers, followed by a steady trickle of people. No toilets for the public, but they had pastries and fancy sandwiches.
Laptop-friendly? Yes. I read my textbook for an hour and then whipped out my laptop to charge my phone—no one seemed to mind. Another guy was on his iPad, but most people were in pairs, chatting. Service was impressively fast, even with app orders piling in.
Would I recommend it? Definitely. Alright, now back to today’s main mission. I’ve made a start.
Main Mission: Study for 4 hours
Progress Report: I managed an hour at the café this morning. Now I’m in the library, ready to knock out another hour before class. Ciao for now!
21:45, London Home
Good evening! Made it through the day, and it feels like a win. I attended my lesson, caught my friend up on the latest tea, came home, showered, and devoured dinner because I was starving. Now I’m winding down with the Deadpool and Wolverine movie—perfect brain-dead fluff for a tired evening. I was wiped by my last class at 6pm and so hungry that my protein bar barely made a dent.
On the way to the station I ran into my Trusts Law tutor and we ended up walking together. Turns out, I was right—he did used to live in Camden. Ha! You can just tell.
Now I’ve got a warm mug of sticky toffee pudding white hot chocolate (gosh, what a mouthful) from Whittard of Chelsea, and it’s the perfect end to the day. Just want to brush my teeth and crash. I’ll probably finish this movie later. Goodnight!
Blank Street Coffee
