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Java brings a new taste to Westport

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Situated at 44 Church St. lies a simple, typical 06880 building. The inside, though, is anything but typical. With long windows and bright yellow and red walls sporting images ranging from kids’ scribbles to portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Java Westport gives simple a whole new definition.

“It’s like you have been transported to another world,” Greg Weiner ’14, an employee at this colorful coffee shop, said.

Java was born in 1991 in Idaho and joined the Westport community on Jan. 28 of this year. Breanna Brandon, the local manager, describes the style of food as assorted southwestern bakery, breakfast and lunch dishes. She cited one popular choice, Frankie’s Homemade Oatmeal or, more specifically, basic grains topped with brown sugar, steamed milk foam, cinnamon and sliced bananas.

“Everything that we put on our menu has integrity,” Brandon said. “Our products serve themselves.”

If worried about the bias that Weiner and Brandon could have as employees, listen to the positive reviews of customers.

“I like the laid-back attitude,” Terena Koteka-Wiki ’14 said. “The people are very nice, and the food is very good.” When she first went to Java, she ordered Avocado Toast, a dish consisting of whole wheat toast covered with sliced avocado and cracked pepper.

Koteka-Wiki is not alone with her opinion. Brandon explained that from the moment Java opened its Westport doors, conditions have been busy. She thinks she knows why this is the case.

“Westport hasn’t had a place like us,” Brandon said. “We like to call ourselves an alternative to big industry coffee.” Weiner agrees, referring to the environment of Java being more comforting than the atmospheres found at large comapnies like Starbucks. This may have to do with the fact that Starbucks has over 16,000 stores worldwide and focuses on quickly serving cups of coffee without considering ambiance.

In contrast, with just six stores, “Java offers people a place to unwind, drink a great cup of coffee and just relax,” Weiner said.

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About the Contributor
Justine Seligson
Justine Seligson, Photo Coordinator
Being a self-described political junkie and a teen travel writer, Justine Seligson '15 is not only, without a doubt,  a well rounded student and basically a mother's dream, but also a very unique addition to the staff. Seligson is extremely modest about her accomplishments, but it is very clear that her extensive journalistic experience outside of Inklings has largely influenced her presence on the paper. "I have a column on teen travel on my parent's website, which is called Farewell Travels," Seligson said. "It's a very different type of writing [than Inklings] but it's definitely helped me to grow as a journalist overall." Seligson goes on to describe the plethora of exquisite articles she has written for her column over the years. Seligson further explained how her experiences in traveling have shaped her journalistic presence in a large way. She explains why she is nonchalant about the amazing experiences she has had traveling the globe, explaining that it has always been a way of life for her and her family. "My family travels all the time," she said. "It's just part of our business." However, Seligson says that "...[she] would a much different writer if [she] hadn't traveled so much." She casually mentions how much of an impact a pre-college Kenyan writing program had on her, as what an honor it was to be featured in the National Geographic Student Edition. "It made me realize that even though journalism may supposedly be a dying business, there may be some hope for me to pursue my dream career," she said. With her in-depth knowledge of travel and politics, Seligson is sure to be an interesting voice on the paper this year. She hopes to improve her writing and photography even more this year, as well as to help other staff members to increase the quality of their own photographs.

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