Coffee is a staple in my life. Something many of us rarely start a day without. While working and living on the road, finding the perfect place to set up for a few hours is a special find. The ideal coffee shop consists of several key factors...

Dublin was my initial landing spot when I started living nomadically in 2016. This coffee shop was special because I was expecting a phone call from a notable story teller in Bray, Ireland. She invited me for a quick tour of her favorite historic spots and to stay for dinner.

I stepped into this cozy cat cafe in Copenhagen minutes before it started to snow. I was the only patron there and mostly spent time with the cats and hardly any working happened.

This is one of my favorite jaunts in my home town. The diner style setup makes it an ideal spot for large group meetings, a networking coffee, or place to focus on your work or latest read.

While on a free walking tour the guide pointed out Speicherstadt in Hamburg, Germany is a UNESCO site due to it being the largest warehouse district built on timber piles on top of the river Elbe. Here you can find wonders from all over the world, including the most expensive coffee in the world Kopi Luwak, or also known as "cat poop coffee." Read more about it here.

The Crown is my favorite stop for coffee in the adorable ski town of Breckenridge. Right on the main shopping street in town, it's easy to pop in and grab a cozy spot for coffee or cocktails. Lots of plugins and a large game selection. 

I couldn't help but stop at this lovely patisserie multiple times for a coffee and patis de nata or patis de Belém after it's city origin a Portuguese egg tart pastry dusted with cinnamon. Many of these small shops are standing room only and you'll find people queuing all times of day. Right across the street was the Oldest Bookshop in the World!

Passing through Dubai on my way to India, I met up with some friends from Kansas City who graciously took me on a day trip to Abu Dhabi. Before going to visit Qasr Al Watan, we stopped at the gorgeous Emirates Palace where you can order a coffee with gold leaf on top. Talk about being extra. I remember being on a $50 a day budget - it wasn't possible in UAE. I remember signing the check for the coffee and vowing not to read the numbers or convert them to dollars.

Berlin is full of unique coffeeshops, prepared to take on the entrepreneur crowds. Prachtwerk a cafe and live music venue I immediately fell in love with. This spot in Neukölln had an especially trendy vibe.

When you're preparing to trek across the infamous New York City, it all starts with a good breakfast. Later that morning I dropped my phone while getting out of a cab, I didn't realize until I was a couple blocks away. Running back to the corner I looked all over but it was gone. I was resigned and sad about the new phone I just lost and hadn't purchased insurance on. I cried while looking at the Statue of Liberty and went to a bar to order a margarita. Later that afternoon, my sister called the hotel leaving a message that a policeman had my phone and how to get in contact with him. I'm one lucky girl, thank you breakfast.

Stopping in Stockholm on a 12 hour layover, we hot footed our way to the district of Gamla Stan to view the historic architecture. We arrived early in the morning and had to wait for shops and businesses to open up as our stomachs screamed at us. This little cafe was the perfect people watching spot as the city began to wake up.

Walking along the harbor in Karaköy I enjoyed a Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee  was brought to the Ottoman Court in the 1500's and became an essential part of their elaborate ceremonies, even being added on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Turkish coffee is made with finely ground coffee beans, boiled with sugar and cardamom in a special pot or cezve, creating a small, foamy cup of coffee. 

I immediately was entranced by the Library in Minsk. Built in 2006, this geometric rhombicuboctahedron building is a glowing orb along the Minsk skyline and home to over 8 million books and artifacts. At the top of the library is an observation deck and restaurant, where I sipped on a coffee and cognac and waited for the sun to set with a Russian copy of the Little Mermaid.

One of my favorite brunch spots in Des Moines, now with 3 locations, they cater to coffee lovers and fine diners. The menu is Australian inspired and they even bake their own bread at the Valley Junction location.

This unique coffee shop was a special find. Lots of outlets to cater to people wanting to work and a small street side patio when the weather is nice enough. I loved it so much, we came back twice.

Budapest's New York Café is an extraorinarily elegant experience. One of the original cafes dating back 125 years used to be THE spot for poor artists, intellects, and the rich. The Italian Renaissance- style interior is breath taking with sparkling chandeliers and high sweeping ceilings. Most famous Hungarian writers are said to have written from this cafe.