The perfect getaway

There's something perfect about finding a small cafe on the corner of an avenue looking out on the street with your fingers intertwined around a mug of coffee. Whether you're blogging, people watching, or listening to music, there's a certain peace about it. Getting out of the house to find somewhere quiet with beautiful music, even if its just a few steps outside your front door, is sometimes exactly what we need. I've found a few great cafes for studying, relaxing, and getting away for an hour, to separate myself from what seems like such a crazy stressful life sometimes. They aren't in order of favorites, because they all rock in very different ways, and I hope if you guys are local or find yourselves in Seattle sometime soon, that you'll give them a try, they're all worth it!

1. Cafe Solstice - 4116 University Ave NE

I stopped by this place with a friend of mine to study for just a few hours and fell in love with the atmosphere. BUT, it is not a good place to study if you're someone that needs peace and quiet, like I am. When I walked in the door, the music alone made me fall head over heels for this place. It was 80's music all night long! If you're planning on meeting a friend to chat, or just want a place to hang out, this is definitely a cafe that's worth checking out.

2. Cafe on the Ave - 4201 University Ave NE

The food here is to die for, everything on the menu is downright amazing, and their coffee is super delicious, with free refills on drip coffee, so if you have an all day study day planned...coffee ALL DAY LONG. If you want a quiet and chill experience, go in the early AM when they open, anywhere from 7am-9am is when I love to go. Their breakfasts are addicting; my personal favorite is the breakfast burrito, but all their scrambles are super tasty too. The only downfall is that it seems like this is where every student in university district goes to study, so starting pretty early afternoon it gets really busy and really loud. But the 8am you get Frank Sinatra, endless cups of coffee, and breakfast all to yourself; it is totally worth the early wake-up call.

3. Voxx Coffee - 2245 Eastlake Ave E

This is my new personal favorite, I've spent so many days here in the past couple weeks. I've never had a problem finding a seat, even though it's a pretty small cafe. They have great music that they don't play it too loudly, so it is the perfect studying environment. Their food and coffee is really good, although there isn't a ton of variety (the turkey sandwich is THE BOMB). The tables are pretty tiny, so plan to pack minimally if you're bringing study materials. The people there are super cool and the cafe is only a five minute bus ride from University District.

4. Storyville Coffee - 94 Pike St #34

A little tricky to find, but totally worth the hassle. This is hands-down the coolest cafe I've ever been to. The place looks amazing from the art to the lighting, to the espresso bar setup. And, they give out free cake sometimes...yeah, no joke, free chocolate cake, that's like my three favorite things: free, chocolate, and cake...put them together and I'm sold. The baristas there are the best and the look of the place alone was enough for me to want to visit again. It is the most hipster cafe I've been to, which is also awesome. There is a beautiful fireplace, funky spiral lights, and even the carpet is retro and cool. If you're going to visit any of these cafes, this would be the one I'd suggest first.

Sometimes, we need something other than the regular ol' Starbucks. These are just a few of the little places I've been to and fallen in love with over the past quarter. Are you guys going to give any of these cute cafes a try? Are there any you love? I'd love to find more to explore! xoxo