Spyhouse in Minneapolis, MN //

Luke and I had planned to head straight to the shuttle and get back to Eau Claire this morning. We ended up sleeping in so late though, at our friend Blake's house, that he just brought us along to a meeting he had at Spyhouse coffee in Minneapolis. It turned into a Holy Spirit collaboration party with Luke, Blake, our friend Nate, and I. Wonderful and completely normal Christian life -- flowing with Holy Spirit, catching what Daddy is saying and receiving it. Luke bought a guy's drink and he ended up coming over to say thanks again. We all got to talking with him and he was majorly encouraged in the Lord. So good! To be sure there will be some powerful endeavors unfolding in the future with these guys. #thebestisyettocome #glorytoglory #JesusisKing

Cartel Coffee Lab in Scottsdale, AZ //

Out for a late evening stroll to find dinner we stopped into a sweet Mexican joint. They didnt have a table available right away so we walked around and stumbled upon this fabulous coffee shop called Cartel. It reminded me of Stone Creek Coffee Roasters in Milwaukee but the style was all its own. We liked it so much we ended up going back a couple times in our final days in Scottsdale. Like many others, it became our "personal" work place. #grateful

Original Chopshop in Scottsdale, AZ //

The Chopshop was not what we expected but it was exactly what I was in the mood for. Ive never been to a restaurant like it before but I suppose theyd be considered trendy right now. For fast, hand-assembled food, it was hearty and healthy. We got a protein bowl, superfruit bowl, fresh juice, and a protein smoothie. After a breakfast of pastries and coffee, my body was super happy to have so many fruits and veggies. It was hopping inside, lots of people coming and going. Airy and bright, inside and out -- we opted for in since the breeze was chilly that afternoon.

BE coffee + food + stuff in Phoenix, AZ //

Luke and I had met a man working at a store in the mall who told us that there was one stretch of road in Phoenix where there were tons of great coffee shops and places to hang out. We went to check it out straight away. With a little Google search Luke found this place: BE coffee, food, stuff. We settled in there for hours. It was part coffee shop, part art gallery, part greenhouse, and part rentable office spaces. Unique and homey and very much our style.

While I was first scouting the place and taking photos, Luke was ordering recommended drinks and amazing menu items for us. He ended up sitting down near a man and striking up a conversation with him about the coffee shop. The man didnt come out and say it right away but it turned out that he owned the building and in the back gallery space he had a display of his work up -- something he hadnt done in a long time. He invited Luke and I to come back and see it before they took it down. We gladly accepted.

Nina's in St Paul, MN //

After an overnight greyhound bus from Milwaukee to Minneapolis/St Paul, and with a whole day ahead of us before our 5pm flight to Phoenix, we set off, suitcase and guitar in tow, to find a cafe. Luke lived in the cities for a handful of years and had several places in mind to take me to. As it was Easter Sunday most places were closed. A little tram ride and an up-hill walk away, in a little corner of St Paul, Nina's was totally open. It was super cozy and welcoming. We actually were asked to perform there sometime by the manager upon her hearing that we do music. We played one song for the cafe, from a table by the door, before the manager left for the day. She gifted us with two granola bars for our travels. Little things like that are actually big gifts, arent they? We worked on projects and listened to music together. I fell asleep on Luke's shoulder for a little while. We were approached by an elderly gentleman, on his way out, who told Luke he was a good husband to me and, bearing in mind that he only gets one woman to spend his life with, to spend it fully on loving well.