Pleiad Field Trip: Marshall, Michigan; There's nothing like a good cup of joe
By Jamelah Earle
Editor-in-Chief

After a yummy Mexican dining experience at Oye Amigos, Emily and I wandered down Marshall's main strip and found our way to the Espresso Yourself Coffee House.

Upon walking in the door, I immediately noted the smell-fresh-brewed coffee smells good.

We stood at the counter for a moment, deliberating over our choices, Emily decided on Earl Grey tea , and I got a big steamy mug of café latte. For those of you who don't parla Italiano, cafe latte is Italian for coffee with milk. Emily was excited because they had Eden soy milk, and I was pleased because my café latte tasted just like the ones that Mirella (the owner of our favorite place in Venice) used to make for me.

We sat for awhile, sipping our warm, comforting beverages, looking around. Espresso Yourself manages to be charming, artsy, and comfortable, while avoiding typical coffeehouse pretentiousness.

The owner noticed that Emily was snapping pictures, and he came over and started a conversation, asking if she would be interested in giving him some photos to hang on the giant brick wall. Emily assured him that she was no great photographer, we laughed, and he went back to his coffee.

As we chatted and sipped, and Emily poured tea from the teapot they gave her (into her cup, the saucer, and all over the table-she's messy), we looked around and were impressed with the choices that Espresso Yourself offers. Besides a wide variety of beverages (cappuccino, hot chocolate, and Italian sodas), they also serve food, like pita sandwiches, muffins, soups, and quiches. It all sounded good, and we were sad that we were too stuffed with Mexican food to eat anything there.

The Espresso Yourself Coffeehouse is open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.

For a fun, relaxing trip away from Albion, the Espresso Yourself Coffeehouse is a great place to check out. And hey, if you're a better photographer than Emily (which isn't saying much), you might be able to talk the owner into hanging your art on his wall.