WRITING IN ATLANTA // CAFE JONAH AND THE MAGICAL ATTIC

If you know Atlanta, then you know Souper Jenny. And if you know Souper Jenny, you must meet Cafe Jonah—a cozy cafe named after her son, nestled within the trees in the heart of Buckhead. But it's more than a cafe, it's like working in your friend's living room. That is, if your friend made you delicious, healthy food and had an adorable patio.

The music is nostalgic and the fresh menu changes daily—my favorites are the quiche and Greek yogurt chicken salad! When you order your food (or coffee), you're given a token to put in one of three baskets labeled with charities, letting you choose who gets a portion of their proceeds.

And last, but not least, up the narrow staircase in the center of the cafe you'll find the magical attic. Among books, gifts (and sometimes a psychic), you'll find a cozy living area with couches and loveseats—perfect for a small meeting or working in peace. 

If you're in the Buckhead area, hit up Cafe Jonah for an eclectic (and maybe magical) writing experience!

Cafe Jonah and the Magical Attic
cafejonah.com
3188 Paces Ferry Place, Atlanta, Georgia 30305

WRITING IN CHATTANOOGA // REVELATOR COFFEE COMPANY

This southern town is one of my favorite cities. Not too small, not too big—Chattanooga is the perfect fit for anyone looking to find local culture with big-city vibes. It also happens to be perfectly centered between Atlanta and Knoxville, making it a frequented meet-up destination by my best friend and me since high school. But who knew it had such a great coffee scene?

Revelator has the qualities of the perfect writing spot—little distraction with a minimalist atmosphere, moody music, walls of windows and delicious coffee. Their menu is short and sweet, and so was their iced coffee with simple syrup. If you're in town and need a place with free Wi-Fi to park you laptop for awhile, I absolutely recommend Revelator. And when you're done, take a stroll down Frazier Avenue for some eclectic window shopping!

Revelator Coffee Company
revelatorcoffee.com
10 Frazier Avenue, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405
 

WRITING IN AUSTIN // ELIZABETH STREET CAFE

Not only was our trip to Austin, Texas, our first opportunity to get Eloise on a plane, but it was also my chance (finally!) to see this weird, creative city for myself. I think I'd had it in my head that it was going to be SO eccentric, that by the time I actually arrived, I was surprised by its normalcy.

We managed to find the quirky side of town, window shopped, ate the famous street food and witnessed the dusk departure of millions of bats. It was the perfect 48-hour getaway, and a nice way to ease my way back into post-baby travel.

The South Congress "SoCo" shopping district seemed to be the eccentric part of town and is where we spent a majority of our time. And while the dozens of ecclectic shops kept us entertained for hours, it wasn't exactly baby friendly (note: next trip, use baby carrier). When the day started to wind down, I looked on my phone for the closest coffee shop—which was surprisingly hard to find. I found one about a quarter of a mile away, and made the trek to work on a few things before dinner.

What I found was Elizabeth Street Cafe—a French Vietnamese eatery and possibly the most lovely coffee spot I'd ever encountered. The menu ranged from noodles to lattes and the tables outside sat under pretty umbrellas with hot pink and teal highlights, the perfect resting spot after my hike. I felt like I'd finally found what Austin does best—a dreamy combination of pretty and weird.

If you're ever in Austin looking for a peaceful, inspired place to write—this is it. Some more things I loved about this pretty weird city:

The coolest antique shop I've ever been in.

The biggest (and tastiest) doughnuts I've ever eaten.

One word: cupcakes.

Watching millions of bats take off at night should be on your bucket list.

Beer snob? The Ginger Man will quench your thirst.

Elizabeth Street Cafe
elizabethstreetcafe.com
1501 S. First Street, Austin, Texas 78704
512.291.2881