Sandy and Peggy Bates welcome Simon Duffin to the Fine Arts Bistro in downtown Glasgow.

Where do you go to enjoy great tea and coffee around the world? You can find out in a book, soon to be released, about great places for coffee and tea around the world. Be sure to look for Glasgow, Kentucky as one location. The book is a project by Simon Duffin and his wife, Anita Volkert. Simon, both who are from England. Simon visited Glasgow, Kentucky in November and thoroughly enjoyed his visit. According to Simon, the book is “a kind of a travel guide, using coffee and tea as the reason to get inside the community locally”. Research for the book led him to Glasgow.

Simon contacted Ann Stewart in September to explain that to limit the selection of American towns to visit, they chose to travel to two towns in each state, and the towns must have a British or European place name. For example, they made visits to St. Petersburg and Naples in Florida; Athens and Rome in Georgia; and Belfast and Bath in Maine. Following a visit to Paris, Kentucky and while looking for the second town to visit in Kentucky, they “liked the look of Glasgow, especially for its Highland Games.”

To be in the book, a coffee bar or tearoom in the town was a requirement, preferably locally owned and operated. Following e-mail conversations back and forth, Simon chose to visit Glasgow. After scheduling visits to the Fine Arts Bistro, owned and operated by Sandy and Peggy Bates in downtown Glasgow and Mo Joe’s Coffee, owned and operated by Nathan Monroe and located on West Main Street, Simon arrived in Glasgow on Sunday, November 13. Much to his surprise and delight, upon checking in at the Hall Place Bed & Breakfast, he discovered they had a tearoom.

Simon found the Glasgow-Barren County community very hospitable. While dining at the Fine Arts Bistro, he met Bill Myers who suggested that he visit the South Central Kentucky Cultural Center. Simon stated that he thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits at the Center and discovered that Kentuckians truly love history and are devoted to exploring their genealogy. He commented that he has found this interest all across America.

On Monday, he visited Mo Joe’s Coffee and the Fine Arts Bistro to learn more about the businesses. Later, Simon and Ann Stewart went to the Glasgow Highland Games office to visit with Maureen Hendrick and pick up information about the Games as well as the city’s connection to Glasgow, Scotland.

Before departing on Tuesday morning, he indicated an interest in attending the 2012 Glasgow Highland Games and plans to return to Glasgow and Barren County. His book is scheduled for publication in early 2012. You can follow Simon’s travels across America on the following Facebook page:  Fancy A Cuppa? His website is www.fancyacuppa.co.uk