Local Free News Rag Extols Local Coffee Shops

I enjoy the Independent Florida Alligator news rag not only because it is free, but also because the articles tend to be interesting, written with some empathy for the reader's sensibilities.  The September 8th issue, which was available on a news rack at a store's entrance that Melissa and I recently walked by, contained an article discussing some of the writer's (Aaliyah Evertz) favorite coffee shops in town.  Since the Alligator is oriented around the University of Florida campus and favors Gator students' interests, her selection of five places tended to be centered around the campus.  I like coffee shops...that is, when I can find a reasonable place to sit after I buy my drink and if the people working there are friendly.  A few weeks ago I went to the Sym coffee shop near Newberry Road and NW 55th Street and ordered a coffee.  That part of the visit went well until I got my drink and then looked for a place to sit.  The whole place was occupied with student-types, and it wasn't until I gave up and walked outside that I found an open spot.  At least with Sym I could easily find a parking spaces; some of these places Evertz listed seem buried within congested areas with little available nearby parking.  I was a big frequenter of places, like Coffee Culture on NW 13th Street just north of Gainesville High School, that would stay open late into the night.  But after COVID-19 hit and businesses drastically curtailed their operating hours (or even closed down), it's been hard in recent years to find a place that I can go to past nine at night.  I know that Krispy Kreme stays open around the clock as does Waffle House, but Starbucks tends to close early (some of the stores REAL early), and Dunkin' Donuts closes its doors at 7 PM (at least the one near my house).  But you know, I do have a coffeemaker at home and can brew my own coffee, and I'm open "24/7" with plenty of places to sit...even into the wee hours of the morning.  Right now I'm drinking a pot of New England brand Caramel Macchiato-flavored coffee while sitting at our dining room table, sweet dog Daisy sitting below on the floor gazing outside into the back yard.  Now back to UF for a minute.  When I first attended there in the late 1970s, I would go to a Krystal fast-food store just across University Avenue from Library West.  This place was always open, their coffee was good and very cheap, and I got a lot of studying done there (and their chili was excellent).  When that place eventually closed down and a new Krystal was built elsewhere years later, I sadly discovered that this one original place I liked so much was an aberration.  But when I think back to being a student on campus at the University of Florida, Krystal on University Avenue reigns supreme as the place to go.  Years later I made a lot of use of the Krispy Kreme store...also 24/7...three blocks north of campus on NW 13th Street. So I'm not really at all interested in the snooty, more specialized coffee shops that jack up their prices while customers are grateful to have at least been able to park somewhere nearby.  As of now I have no regular place that stands as my favorite place to go to have some coffee in public and study or write some, but the home dining room table is always there...